Inferno Heart
by Rzeznik Rocker
Summary: Slave on Saturnalia.....what does that mean> hehe. go find out ^^
1. Intro

Disclaimer: I do not own any outlaw star characters and/or places. But I do own my own characters!  
  
Intro: Always Like this  
  
She looked at the torn pictures. Hundreds of them. Their pieces burnt, soaked, crumbled, crushed, shredded, stepped on, muddy, and scattered across the room. Every day. It was always like this. Each day she printed them out. And each day she proceeded to destroy them. Hoping, perhaps, that he were feeling the pain. And yet silently damning herself for wishing it at all. Each day she cleaned it up and threw the pieces away. And each day she printed a new batch. And each day she sat there and wrote to him on them and cried her heartache into them, maybe hoping he could feel that too. And yet hoping he would never know at all. But still wishing he might have once noticed her.......Each day she sat there and destroyed them. Damning her. Damning him. Damning fate. Damning herself. Damning herself for her helpless rage and weaknesses.  
  
It was always like this. The only one she had ever loved. The only one she ever would love. The pictures of her beloved. She destroyed them, wishing the memories would go with them. But they never did. They would always be there. And so each day would go the same. At least in this respect. Until she would finally have peace in death.  
  
It was always like this, she thought. I was always there, and yet never present at all. Always there, and always missed.  
  
She cried silently, staring around at the scattered bits of pictures that held in them all her heartache and misery. Only one picture she never touched. The one on her wall. Her beautiful redhead smiling sweetly and complacently at her. The picture of her, smiling. And his arm around her shoulders.......... It was the closest he had ever come to her. The sweet smile only once given to her. She cried silently. Her face a mask of ice, even though inside her heart cried out in bitter misery.  
  
It was always like this, she thought silently, and it will always be........  
  
She took one last look at the torn up pictures. One look at the picture on the wall, before taking it down and putting it in her suitcase with everything else. One last look. She sent one last message. Then she left.  
  
When the message arrived at Starwind & Hawking Enterprises, she was long gone. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was that he read it. He would know the truth, and she could live without the pain of him never knowing, even though she would probably never find out how he did feel. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered.  
  
The message flashed up on the screen. The name read Gene Starwind. Gene Starwind opened it and gazed openmouthed at the email. There was a picture of his old old bounty team back on Heifong from before he met Jim, and after his father died. Beneath it,in bold red lettering, there was the message.  
  
I Love You Gene. I Always Have. I Always Will. But You Never Knew. And I Was Never Brave Enough To Tell You. Because Of That, I Lost You Forever. I'm Sorry, Gene. But At Least You Know.  
  
There was no signature, but Gene's eyes swept toward one persone in the picture. A skinny half ctarl-ctarl girl standing near the back, holding herself apart from the rest. She was wearing a black skintight outfit and a red and blue cape similar to his. She had long black and red hair and the red firey stripes for which she was named. Her usually cheerful eyes looked sideways in the picture. They were mournful and longing. At him. Inferno. She had.............? He felt like such an ass. He had thought her shy and weak. He mercilessly teased her. And she had taken it all without so much as a ctarl-ctarl mew. To his own surprise, he tasted salt tears in his mouth and realised he had been crying. Good thing everyone was out. He traced her email back to her adress and pulled on his cape. He wasn't sure why, but he had to see her.  
  
When Jim got back, the computer was on. The email was still up and the tracking system left open. Jim read the email and looked at the tracking device. He pulled his coat back on and ran out the door. 


	2. It Always Was Like This Until You Came

Disclaimer: I do not Own Outlaw star or any characters an/or places from it. But I do own Inferno and her ship.  
  
Chapter 1: It Was Always Like This Until You Came.........  
  
After pounding on the door foor a good 20 minutes, Gene finally broke down and smashed in the door. The place was silent. So silent, Gene could hear his heart like a drum echoing the halls.  
  
He searched the house and found nothing until he came into the last room- the attic. A computer was there. It was still on. A copy of the message he had recieved was still up on the screen, but it was not that that caught his eye. All over the room. At first glance there were bits of paper. Bits of torn paper that had been ruined, destroyed, and damaged in various ways. but upon closer inspection, he discovered them to be pictures. Pictures of........  
  
Himself.  
  
They were written on, and he managed to find one picture that was still almost intact. There were words of love and misery and hate. Hating him for never knowing and hating herself for never telling. Loving him. Her misery for never telling. Misery at having lost him. The words were so vivid, he was caught up in them and saw her sitting there with the picture, low animal moans breaking wretchedly from her throat. Writing her feelings out to no one because that was all she had. He started himself out of his illusion when a low sobbing sort of moan came from him. He didn't understand this, but he knew he had to do something. The pictures.......... He wondered why. Why she had never told him..........  
  
But there was no time for that now. He couldn't bear to be in there any longer. He left the house and walked slowly towards home, wondering why he felt so miserable. It wasn't as if it was his fault.......  
  
LIAR! his heart screamed at him. It was your fault and you know it!  
  
'But..........I........I never did anything.........' He spoke to the silent street.  
  
Liar........ His heart growled wretchedly at him. You've done something...........find out, damn you! You have to! What if she does something drastic......something irrevocable............and it would be your fault......your fault that you didn't care enough to go after her.......your fault......your fault..............  
  
The voice echoed in his head. It was telling him every guilty thought he had tried to deny since he had gotten the message. But he knew it was right. He needed to find her. But how? She had simply walked out. He started back towards home, still writhing with several kinds of guilt and shame. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jim closed the door behind him and slumped down into a chair. Despite having the address, he had been utterly unable to locate the house. He hadn't seen Gene either. He didn't realise Suzuka was speaking to him until she tapped him on the head with the tip of her sword.  
  
'Did you hear me Jim?'  
  
'No, I'm sorry Suzu. I was zoning. Now, what were you saying?' He sat up so he could pay attention to her.  
  
'I was asking you if you had seen Gene, first of all, and second of all, are you alright? You look a little pale.'  
  
'Well, to answer both questions, I've unsuccessfully been trying to track Gene all day!'  
  
'Here, have some tea.' Jim accepted the hot tea gratefully. Suzu always made the best tea. 'Now, you say you were tracking Gene?'  
  
'Yes'  
  
'Why?'  
  
Jim sighed. 'I suppose, Suzu, I could tell you if you promised not to tell anyone, especially don't let Gene know you know. Alright?'  
  
Suzuka knew that tone. Jim was utterly serious. 'Yes, of course.'  
  
'Ok then.' Jim sighed again and told her all he knew of the situation. When he finished, Suzuka looked surprised, and not in the least bit amused.  
  
'So this girl is in love with Gene?'  
  
'Yeah, I geuss that's it.'  
  
'And he gets a message from her after god knows how long and goes rushing out to find her?'  
  
'That's what I got out of it.'  
  
'Interesting......... Could it be that these feelings aren't exclusive?'  
  
'What do you mean?' Jim looked at her. She was staring thoughtfully skyward.  
  
'What I mean, Jim, is that maybe Gene felt the same way. Knowing him, he was probably an ass.' She smiled and added on a humorous note. 'He get's ike that when he's trying to flirt.'  
  
Jim chuckled slightly, relieved a bit by her good humour. 'But then,' He said, 'I thought he was in love with Melfina.'  
  
'Yes, I know, and we both know how well THAT went. Didn't you hear they broke up?'  
  
'When?'  
  
'Last week.'  
  
'No wonder Gene has been in such a sulky mood'  
  
'Yes, like I said., you see how well that went.'  
  
'I see your point......... So what are we gonna do about this?'  
  
'Well, if Gene found her, I think we should help him. For him to do something like that, he's probably feeling pretty low. He tands to hide these things with anger and a foul temper.'  
  
'Yes, that's true.' Jim nodded wisely 'And if he didn't?'  
  
'If he didn't, he probably feels even worse, and I think we should help him find her. He's probably feeling guilty.'  
  
'Yeah, you're right, Suzu. You always know what to say. Thanks.' Jim smiled radiantly, feeling much better. He proffered Suzuka a brief hug, which both surprised her and amused her and mand also made her blush. Jim went to take a shower while they waited for Gene.  
  
Suzuka watched him go, her light blush still creeping slowly up as she went over the previous moment. She sighed. He was almost 20. She was about 29, but it didn't matter. She wondered what it would be like to date him. A very un-suzuka-ish thought, she admitted to herself, but still. There was a first for everything.  
  
She had known Jim for almost 10 years now, and he had always come to her when he really needed to talk. Melfina was not very wise, despite her loving personality, Gene wasn't good at comforting talks, and usually snapped at people when what her really needed was to talk to some one, Gillian was good, but he was only a machine, and still didn't understand and sympathize with human emotions all that much, and Aisha, despite being quite caring and she did listen, she couldn't sit still for long, and she wasn't good at finding the right thing to say.  
  
So Jim always came to Suzuka. She had given him advice, comfort, suggestions, and simply a shoulder to cry on for nearly 10 years. She had watched him grow from a little 11 year old boy to a 19 year old who still wasn't sure what and who he was. She realised she cared deeply for him. But now wasn't the time. For now she was content to let the feelings grow in her knowledge of them. The current problem was Gene and this girl Inferno..........  
  
What had happened so long ago that Gene would dash out to find her when he recieved a short message that just barely said what it did?  
  
She sighed and got up. She had a mind to take a shower as well. She needed to relax. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Suzuka and Jim were sitting in the warehouse. Suzu in her white bath robe, her ebony hair falling gracefully around her body. Jim in a pair of jeans, his straw colored hair in shocking dissarray, stuck out at all sorts of odd angles.  
  
Gene burst into the warehouse and stormed upstairs before either could say a word. He paused at the top of the stairs, though, and turned around to view the situation more carefully. His mouth was open and his eyes wide as he took in both Suzuka in her bathrobe and Jim in his jeans, their hair still dripping down their backs. They looked rather flushed and content.  
  
Gene sputtered in realisation.  
  
'w-whu-what? y-you mean you.....a-and you?' He couldn't believe it. Jim his young partner computer genius, and Suzuka, the cold aloof assassin that had once tried to kill him.  
  
Suzuka merely smiled. 'I think you should try and untangle your own twisted love life before you go and bother yourself with ours.'  
  
Jim cleared his throat guiltily and looked down, a slight blush coloring his usually pale face.  
  
Gene staggered back, reeling from yet another realisation. They KNEW. He thought back. He hit himself in the head when he remembered. Of course! In his rush he'd forgotten to close the email and the tracking system! He slowly regained his self control and walked unsteadily down the stairs.  
  
Although his voice was ice cold, his eyes betrayed him. 'Don't you dare tell. Ever. Either of you.' He growled, trying his best to glower at ttem. But all he could manage was a pained sort of look before he sunk down into a chair with his head in his hands.He said something into his hands that was muffled by the thick material of his glves. But Jim and Suzuka thought it seemed to be something like "what am i going to do?"  
  
Suzuka spoke in a gentle voice, trying to comfort him. Thankfully, Suzuka DID always know the right thing to say.  
  
'It's all right Gene.' She sat near him and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, and she was stunned to see hs face was wet with tears. But his eyes were hostile. He jerked away from her and stood up.  
  
'I don't want your pity.' He spat viciously. 'I don't need your help either. I don't need anything! You hear me? Leave me alone! Besides, ' He sneered 'You two have each other to keep yourselves occupied. What do you need to bother with me for?' He hated himself for the things he was saying, but he couldn't help it. He turned an walked out.  
  
Suzuka and Jim sat in stunned silence for a few minutes after the door slammed, digesting the previous scene.  
  
It was Jim that broke the silence. 'So that's how he's felt. He must always have felt left out of everything.'  
  
Suzuka nodded. 'Melfina's rejection must have hurt him pretty badly. I've never seen him so miserable.'  
  
'Yeah....' Jim looked down at his hands and sighed.  
  
Suzuka knew he must be feeling guilty. Here he was being happy with her while Gene was out there trying to hide his own pain and misery and trying to find a lost love........ 'Jim, listen to me.' She kneeled in front of him and took his face in her hands. 'It's not your fault. You should be happy. Not guilty. But at the same time, I do think we should help him.' Jim nodded silently. Suzuka wasn't all that eager to help Gene, but for Jim's sake..........  
  
Suzuka stood up abruptly. 'Come on Jim. If we want to help him, we're gonna have to hurry.' Jim nodded and got up to join her.  
  
In his stormy single minded fury and whirlpool of emotion, Gene never noticed the two shadowy figures doggedly persuing him through the night. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ END  
  
Let m know wut u think! R&R please! ^^ 


	3. Dammit Where Is She!

Disclaimer: I do not own any Outlaw Star places and/or charcters. I do, however, own Inferno, her ship, and any other charater, item or place I create.  
  
Chapter 2: Dammit Where Is She!  
  
Gene sat in the bar. He had been there for hours after unsuccessfully trying to track Inferno from her house. He was tired, pissed off, and drunk as hell, which certainly didn't improve his mood either. Most of the other people in the bar around him were in high spirits, lost in drunken bliss, or passed out happily on tables, all of them oblivious to the world around them. Gene stared at them, his blood shot eyes trying to bring them into focus. He glowered at the jovial crowd. He put his head down with his hands over his ears, trying to block out the noises.  
  
Dammit! he thought, snapping his head up angrily. Where was she?  
  
No matter how drunk he became, nothing seemed to fade. He couldn't make himself pass out, and the drink wasn't sweeping his mind into beautiful blissful ignorance like it should have. If anything, the alchohol was making it worse. He was having hallucinations. He kept seeing her in the far corner. He turned and looked again in a shocked double take.  
  
Was it her? There was a girl in the corner who looked so much like her......well, frankly, it was unnerving. He shook his head in disbelief and turned back to his drink. He drained his glass and stared into the cup. He needed something to clear his head.  
  
The bartender saw the empty glass and made a move to refill it for him. Gene stopped him.  
  
'Coffee.' He said groggily.  
  
The bartender nodded. 'Had enough for the night, have ya? Eh you've been here as long as anyone. I'm surprised your not out cold right now.'  
  
Gene grunted his dissatisfaction. The bartender placed the cup of coffee in front of him and he drained it in one gulp, his head swirling as his vision began to swim back into focus. He raised his hand for another cup. He drained that one too, and despite a massive headache, his vision was much better and his head much clearer.  
  
After a few more cups, Gene turned around to look at the corner where he'd have sworn he saw Inferno. The shadowy figure that had been sitting there was weaving it's way through the crowd towards the exit. Gene jumped up and ran after it. If it was Inferno, he wasn't going to take a chance and let her get away again. If it wasn't her, then oh well, he had tried.  
  
After a long chase through the streets of the city, Gene rounded a corner to come upon the figure he'd been follwing. But it wasn't alone. On the edge of a lake there was a teal skinned manlike thing. His eyes were lined in red and his staff glowed golden. The shadowy figure before him looked hesitant, but poised to fight. Gene drew his knife and walked into the scene a safe distance from his 'prey'. The figure turned and looked briefly at him, turning away quickly as if stung.  
  
'You dare disturb me, mortals?' the voice was low, barely above a whisper. But they heard every word, dripping with menace and a hidden threat.  
  
They wouldv'e been happy to run, or at least Gene knew he would have, but the menacing demon attacked. A water twister raised and sucked them into a whirlpool in the lake. Gene turned to a small mew like sound at his right. There she was. Clinging desperately to his cape and trying not to be sucked into the swirling oblivion. He lost his hold on the rock when a particularly vicious current swept past them.  
  
He grabbed for her hand and pulled her so that their faces were level (which is no mean feet when you're trying not to be sucked into oblivion by a raging whirlpool).  
  
'Hold on to me!' He shouted, his voice barely heard above the melee. 'Hold on and whatever you do, don't let go! Hang on for your life!' He wrapped his free arm about her while the other desperately clung to another unfortunate rock. She put her arms around his neck, tentatively at first, but held tighter as the current grew stronger.  
  
Gene lost his hold on the rock. The two of them clung to each other, trying not to lose consciousness in the water tunnel. For what seemed like an eternity, all they could do was hold on to each other and hope for the best. But as it would happen, they lost themselves and fell into blackness while their bodys swirled limply still.  
  
Hours later and miles away, Gene woke up wet and stiff. There was something on top of him, and his lips tasted of salt. His head hurt like hell where he had hit it, and his back where he had fallen. He opened his eyes, wincing slightly in the bright sunlight and pulled himself up.  
  
An unconscious Inferno rolled limply off him. She wasn't badly hurt-he had broken her fall. But she was still out cold. He sat up, trying to force his vision back intoe focus.  
  
Damn demons. He thought. Give em a little bit of power and they think they rule the world..........  
  
He gingerly touched the bump on his head, wincing in pain. What a head ache. But he didn't care overly. He had found Inferno. That was all that mattered. He was strangely calm. All his usual restlessness and nervous bravado was gone, There was only a strange sense of serenity.  
  
He looked over where she still lay, her body lying in an odd yet strangely sensual position. he cocked his head slightly to look at her better, and a crooked smile lit his face as he reviewed the irony of the thought. She stirred slightly.  
  
He watched, half amused, half afraid, half worried (no there's not 1 1/2 of him) as she sputtered and coughed up seaweed and water. She pulled herself up and took a deep breath to steady her shaking hands. She sat there with her eyes closed, taking deep breaths to try and right her stomach and calm her nerves. Gene watched in tolerant amusement tinged with worry when she bolted up and ran to a small cliff, where she proceeded to empty the contents of her stomach in a most ungraceful manner.  
  
He got up and walked over to where she kneeled, panting slightly for lack of breath, her stomach writhing painfully. He proffered his hand to her, and she took it thankfully.  
  
He pulled her to her feet and the ystood face to face. She looked helplessly into his eyes as her stomach began to writhe in protest again.Too much shock. She looked at him, and tears poured silently down her face, her lip trembling in a childlike way. She looked away, embarrassed that he should see her cry. But he gripped her shoulder in one hand and the other came and caught her chin,  
  
Gene gently pulled Inferno's face upward until she was looking at him again. She was surprised to se tears on his face. For an endless moment in eternity, they kissed. Each giving and niether demanding. Sharing their feelings, and asking nothing but reassurance in return.  
  
Suddenly, Inferno jerked back as if she had been slapped. The taste of Gene's tears and her own still in her mouth, she backed away silently, the tears starting up anew.  
  
'No............' It was just barely a whisper. But Gene heard it perfectly.  
  
'No what?' He asked cautiously and softly.  
  
'You-you never cared about me..........never.............you teased me and baited me and bullied me. You never loved me......... How could I have been so foolish. It was nothing but a folly! A desperate wish to fool myself!' Inferno was near hysterics now, and she didn't seem to have any intention of stopping. 'You're a-a.............a ' She searched around for the right word. 'You're nothing better than a ........a player! You played me for a fool Gene! You tricked me into believing you liked me!' Her tears were unchecked as retchedly pathetic sounds halfway between human and animl tore themselves from her throat, while shudders racked her body. She fought to gain control and stood up. 'YOu never loved me. Stop lying Gene. The game was over 15 years ago. You won the bet.' Her voice was flat and emotionless. Gene made no move to stop her as she turned tail and ran into the night.  
  
Then it hit him. Th bet. 15 years ago. His friend. Correction, he thought, former friend, had made a bet with him. He had one week. If he could get the skinny little half breed to make out with him within that time, he would back off from the girl Gene wanted and also try and help him get her instead. If he lost, Gene would have to give up on the girl and help HIM. Gene had taken on the bet.Perhaps not eagerly, but he was young and macho and egotistical. He thought it would be no problem to have the skinny little half breed eatng out of his hands in a week. Or in this case, if you looked at it, his mouth.  
  
He had succeeded. But no because he was the amazing male figure he had painted himself at the time, but because she had loved him and had thought he felt the same. But at the end of the week, his friend approached Gene and congratulated him on his win and proceeded to laugh about how easily he had managed to infatuate the little bitch. Gene had been rather angry, because he truly did love her, he just didn't know it yet. He told his friend to stop, but by that time it was too late. Inferno had heard the entire thing. He remembered the painful moment. Inferno stepped out from the shadows, looking evil, psycho, and dangerous. She had glared daggers at both of them. When Gene moved to speak, she turned on him, a small psychotic smile playing on her lips. She fiingered her dagger as she spoke in a quiet sing song sort of voice.  
  
;So that's it, is it? That's all I was? A bet? Damn you a bet!' She was almost shouting now. 'Well, I should've known! you stupid, ignorant egotistical males! You strut around like you know everything! you believe that men bow to your whim, and women grovle at your feet, beggin for you to take them! I get it now! Yes, I see!' She was laughing hysterically 'I was just another conquest was I? WAS I?! Well you've won your bet! So what were you going to do? Toss me aside like the rest? Have I served me purpose for you, o mighty one? Will you allow me the honor of groveling at your feet because I performed so well?' Her maniacal laughter was ringing with sobs now too. 'Damn you!' She had screamed. 'Damn you to hell, Gene Starwind!' She had turned tail and ran. Just like now. And that was the last he had seen of her for 15 years...................  
  
'Oh dammit..........' He whispered abstractedly. 'What did I do?'  
  
He stood up and gazed painfully skywards for a few agonizing seconds. Then he sighed and slowly turned for the long walk home. It was just as well, he thought. He needed to think anyways.  
  
What was he going to do? Maybe he could...........well,................talk to Suzuka. She always seemed to know just how to comfort Jim..........Maybe she could help.................  
  
He smiled a moment. He would have to apologize first. Damn, he thought and sighed. He had certainly made a mess of things.  
  
He turned and walked home under a full moon, lost in thought. 


	4. Back Into SpaceAgain?

Disclaimer:I do not own Outlaw Star. But I do own Inferno and any other characters of my own creation.  
  
Ok, I know I haven't been focusing very much on Inferno, so this time I'm putting in a place where we take it from her view for a while. ok? And because few people seem to notice it, there's a small contest going on: I can't decide what to do with Aisha. Should she come in with a boyfriend? A husband? Should she be back with the Ctarl Ctarl empire? An outlaw? A space pirate?  
  
Leave your ideas in the reviews, and the person with the best idea gets to become a character in my story and a banner (made on photoshop for lack of a scanner .).  
  
Any how, I need those ideas soon! Aisha must come in in the near future! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chapter 3: Back into Space............Again?  
  
When Suzu and Jim ventured forth from bed in the late morning, they found Gene in the middle of what served as the warehouses living room. He was laying in a puddle of what appeared to be salt water streaked with tendrils of blood that were slowly but steadily spreading. There were wet footprints leading from the door to where he lay, and there was a bump on his head that looked exceedingly painful.  
  
It appeared to Jim and Suzuka that he had stumbled in late last night, and, being unable to go any further, collapsed where he stood and thus lay until they found him. They exchanged uneasy looks before dragging Gene onto the couch. He was soaking wet, and the front of his cape was stained red with fresh blood. Jim cleaned up the water while Suzuka stripped Gene down to his boxers so that they could see the extent of the damage.  
  
It was not hard to see the most prominent and pressing problem. There was a large gash reaching from his shoulder down to his stomach just above the line of his boxers. Suzuka quickly got to work on the gash, and found imbedded in it as the apparent cause, a diamond ring. She put it aside and set to stitching the cut before Gene woke up(hey! it rhymes!), and also before he lost anymore blood--his normally lightly tanned skin was already almost white.  
  
While stitching, Suzuka looked at the gash and wondered as to how it got there. Her eyes fell to where the cut ended on his stomach. She thought with a chuckle that, had the cut gone much further, Gene might have been castrated. An amusing thought in her opinion, but she figured Gene would feel otherwise, so she decided against pointing this out to him.  
  
Once Suzuka had finished Gene, her and Jim sat down quietly nearby, their eyes straying to the whit bandages covering most of his torso. It was beyond either of them how he'd managed to make it home, walking and alone in the middle of the night nonetheless.  
  
It was then that Suzuka remembered the diamond ring she had found in the wound, and she made her way to the table while trying carefully to not to disturb Gene. But the ring wasn't on the table where she'd left it. Instead, she turned to see Gene, his face contorted in pain, and his eyes half open and staring intently at the ring in his hand.  
  
His lips formed one word, his voice hoarse and barely above a whisper. "Inferno......." he said, either to himself or the ring, and a lone tear fell unchecked onto the pillow.  
  
As though this triggered something, Gene was suddenly struggling upwards, violently wrestling against the pain. Once sitting, he leaned his head back and held one hand to his stomach. After catching his breath, he pulled himself just as desperately to a standing position and looked around.  
  
Jim was sitting in a chair close by, eyeing him with a mixture of shock and worry. His eyes scanned the room and found Suzuka standing not three feet from him wearing the same expression. He turned his head and examined the bandages that wrapped his body painfully tight. After seeming to take in and consider the situation, Gene turned and made his way unsteadily upstairs.  
  
In a relatively short time, Gene reappeared and made his way back downstairs. He went towards the door and made to put the ring on a table, stopped, reconsidered, and slid the ring onto his last finger.  
  
Gene opened the door and felt the cool morning air against his face, waking him up and at the same time increasing his awareness of the pain, and he gasped. Stepping outside, Gene turned and faced Jim and Suzuka.  
  
"Thanks." he said shortly and snapped the door sht behind him.  
  
As Jim was pulling on his jacket to go after him, Suzuka ventured upstairs to the balcony level that was Gene's room. After a quick search, she made her way back down to find Jim wrestling with the laces on his boots.  
  
Jim looked up and saw her and she shook her head and handed him a piece of paper. On the papaer was a hastily scrawled note in Gene's handwriting.  
  
i I'm leaving Jim. I'm sure you probably know why. I'm taking the Outlaw Star, but I'm leaving the Star Surfer for you. I don't know when I'll be back, or if i will at all, but wish me luck because I certainly won't be back until I find her. Until then, see you. If I don't come back, Starwind & Hawking ent. is yours Jim. -Gene/i  
  
He sighed. "So I suppose this is where we fall out of the picture."  
  
"Looks like it." Suzuka sat down next to him. "But I think it's better this way. He needed to do this, you know."  
  
"I know. Good luck Gene." Jim sighed again and lay his head on Suzuka's shoulder.  
  
In the port, the Outlaw Star had lifted off just moments before when another ship came into port. A young woman in a long tattered cape disembarked from the ship and approached the man at the docking bay.  
  
"I'm looking for a girl. A half ctarl ctarl. She's..............an old friend........." A wicked smile split across her mouth which was the only thing visible in the shadow of her hood. "Do you know where I might find her?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~  
  
'It's a dream.' she thought, trying not to wake up. 'It was all a bad dream. And when I open my eyes I'll be back in my own bed.' She held her eyes closed, floating just below the surface of conciousness.  
  
It was a sharp stabbing pain in her side that finally pulled her from the edges of sleep and dreams. She opened her eyes and blinked in the harsh sunlight, vaguely wondering why she was outside. She pulled herself upright and realised dimly that her entire body ached and her temples were throbbing painfully. Her mind was still blurry and numbed when she bolted upright and wretched painfully until it was only dry heaves and racking shudders coursing through her bruised body. She couldn't remember ever feeling so stiff and exhausted. Or being in so much aching pain. Her stomach was still writhing as she eased herself onto the ground to catch her breath.  
  
When she lifted her hand from her stomach, her mind cleared with a painful jolt of shock when she found it covered in blood. The dull throb in her temples rose to sharp searing pain as her awareness rose. She looked down and found her front soaked in still wet if not fairly fresh blood.  
  
She hurriedly pulled off her cape, which was heavy with blood and salt water, and inspected herself. She breathed a sigh of relief when she discovered the worst damage was the large bruise on her side that had woken her up.  
  
But, if it wasn't her blood then.............  
  
A cold shiver crawled the length of her body leaving goosebumps and numb shock in it's wake.  
  
Gene  
  
'It has to be his. But it can't be his.' She thought wildly. Her heart was praying he was alright. She was trying her best to be disdainful and aloof and angry with him. 'I hate him!' she told herself fiercely.She should hate him. But the more she tried to convince herself of it, the more she disbelieved it.  
  
She touched her finger to her lips in memory. He had kissed her, hadn't he? Yes. But why? It was unnerving. That bet had been over for 15 years. So why had he come after her? Was it a male thing? Was he trying to prove something? It didn't make any sense. She shook her head to clear the image of Gene kissing her. He had no reason that time.....  
  
Inferno pulled herself stiffly to her feet and looked around. She found herself not far from the docking bay her spaceship was in. She dragged herself to her ship and launched into space, setting it on auto pilot and going to rest.  
  
Unbeknownst to either of them, the Outlaw Star was not an hour behind her. But another thing they were unaware of was the ship that landed only moments after the Outlaw Star had left....... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~  
  
"You lost her? You said you'd found the location where she lived!" the white hood hid his eyes, but his anger was betrayed by his mouth.  
  
"Y-yes sir..." a small black cloaked figure cowered on hands and knees in front of him.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Wh-when we g-got there.......she had-she had left some time ago......." the figure looked fearfully at the man in the white cloak.  
  
"What do you mean she left some time ago?!" the White Hood roared, jumping up from his seat and striking the bottom of his staff on the floor in anger.  
  
"It-it was not our fault sir! I sware! We tracked her here. Our sources are unfailable! Please sir! We will find her!" The black figure cowered back in terror of the White Hood's rage.  
  
"Hmmmmm......" The White Hood thought over this for a moment. "I suppose I could give you another chance......but only because I am in such a forgiving mood. However, should you fail..........." He drew his finger across his neck in a slicing motion. " Understand?"  
  
The black figure nodded mutely, all too happy to be spared.  
  
"Good. Then get out."  
  
He watched the hastily retreating figure and sat back down. Jay had been tracking her for some weeks now. Inferno.....He would find her. He did not doubt that. But he was impatient for revenge, first of all. Second of all, she was vital to his plans. And last of all, he wanted her for himself. She was a very beautiful woman. Yes, He would have her. He did not doubt this either.  
  
An evil smile played across his mouth and he stroked the top of his staff, feeling the patterns of his personal runes of power with which he could seal even a diety away. He had great power without them, yes, but the runes were his favorite way of applying his power. They were by far the most effective and elegant way of it as well.  
  
Pulling his hood further over his face, Jay strode out of the empty hall and down the corridor to his power room. It had become neccessary to apply a rune. Ah well. He laughed silently to himself as he drew the rune, picturing her as his emporess. He had waited a long time for this. A little longer would not hurt anything. He drew his tongue across his lips in silent anticipation and began an incantation to find her and slowly but unfailably draw her to him.  
  
He sat back and smiled. Yes. It would not be long now......... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ok, how was that chapter? Yes, Jay, you are a character. I'll explain more about your character later. Jay is a wizard and an Emperor. Of where, you say? Not telling yet. You'll see. And the young woman? No telling yet either ^~ R&R please!  
  
~Rzeznik Rocker~ 


	5. Provoking Memories

Disclaimer: I do not own Outlaw Star. I only own Inferno, Jay, Zarcyte, and the DragonWing.  
  
Chapter 4: Provoking Memories  
  
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"Zarcyte where are we?" Inferno yawned as she took her place in the spacious cockpit of the DragonWing.  
  
In a small tube of bluish liquid near the front of the cockpit, a small but fierce looking purple bio-android dragon swiveled its head towards her "We're 72 hours from the nearest station, the Towards Star Inn."  
  
"Set course then." Inferno looked around the extremely large cockpit of her ship. Tropical vines sporting tropical flowers hung from tropical trees while exotic cats lounge among them. From lions to ocelots and cheetahs to leopards. It was a huge ship. It was the only thing she inherited when her human mother had died. She loved the ship and took very precise care of it.  
  
The purple dragon set the DragonWing to autopilot and extracted itself from the blue tube. Spreading her iridescent wings, she launched herself to perch gracefully on a small precarious branch near Inferno's head. Her wide crimson eyes fixed Infernos and blinked in unspoken question while smoke puffed lightly from her mouth in slight concern.  
  
Inferno caught the look and turned abruptly away, feeling the tears stinging her eyes already.  
  
"Whats the matter?" queried Zarcyte. Her voice piped melodically like a wooden flute as she reared onto her hind legs to look at Inferno better.  
  
"Nothing." But even as she said it, she felt a vivid blush creeping along her face to betray her.  
  
Zarcyte beat her wings in irritation and jumped onto Infernos lap, her face not inches from the half nekos. "Don't ever lie to me Inferno.-Your face turns red. Now what's the matter?"  
  
Inferno's eyes watered and she bit her lip to stop it trembling. But she couldn't stop the lone tear that crawled down her cheek and said so much in but one drop. "I......" she began, her voice faltering as she tried desperately to choke back the tears at the rush of memory flooding her. Unable to help herself, Inferno put her head into her hands and cried until her body was shaking from exhuastion and her eyes blurred from weariness and tears.  
  
All the while Zarcyte had remained silent and speculative and let her cry. Now, as the tears subsided and Inferno was breathing deeply but raggedly, she pushed her snout against the half nekos chin in a comforting gesture and spoke in a gentler voice. "If you talk about it," she pleaded softly "It will help you feel better." Her wide crimson eyes met Inferno's own deep purple ones in an intense yet loving gaze.  
  
Inferno looked at Zarcyte and took a deep breath. She began to speak, telling the story in what she hoped was a calm, level, perhaps even monotone voice. But even as she spoke of it, her hand went involuntarily to her lips in vivid memory of the unexpected kiss.  
  
Inferno had not mentioned the word 'love' anywhere, but Zarcyte sensed her deep and complicated feelings for this man, but at the same time, the controversy in her mind that waged a war with her heart. Zarcyte made a sound deep in her throat that was something like a purr and once more nudged her head against Inferno's face in an attempt to comfort her. Zarcyte wished she could do more for her, but she knew there was nothing she could say right now that could possibly help. She felt Inferno trembling and pulled back to fix the neko with her intense crimson gaze, inspecting her closely.  
  
"You love him." It wasn't a question.  
  
Inferno sniffed back the tears that threatened to fall once again and dashed her hand across her eyes in an oddly childish gesture. She bit her lip angrily, blinking back more tears and refusing to cry over him anymore.  
  
Zarcyte sighed thoughtfully and turned her head to watch a passing asteroid belt. They remained in a restless and thoughtful silence for some time before Zarcyte spoke again. "What do you think would have happened if you hadn't turned and ran after he kissed you?"  
  
Zarcyte's piping voice was strangely calming to Inferno and she shook her head numbly, not allowing herself to think about it again. "I don't know......" she whispered. She shook her head agin, trying to clear it of the painful images floating to the surface of her mind. The hurt look on his face when she had jerked away. The confused and pained look when she had finished verbally attacking him. And the last and perhaps the most disarming of all the images was the way he had looked at her just before the.........kiss. She tried to push them all away. Forcing her thoughts away from them, she turned towards the window and absent mindedly stroked one of her cats.  
  
Zarcyte watched Inferno as she stared blankly at the screen, not really seeing it at all, but rather seeing things in her mind. She could see the pain on Inferno's face and geussed what she was thinking about. Zarcyte blinked silently when Inferno shook her head again and stood up.  
  
"I-I'm going to go back to sleep........." She staggered unsteadily out the door and down the hall, one hand to her throbbing head, the images still swimming hauntingly in her mind.  
  
Zarcyte sighed and settled herself into a fragrant nest of soft leaves and dried orchid petals to nap as well. She would approach the subject later. Inferno was exhausted still-physically and mentally as well as emotionally. She needed sleep badly and time to think. Zarcyte's last thoughts were a vague memory of a tall man with red hair whose face she couldn't seem to recall. When she woke later, she didn't remember the moment at all.  
  
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"Now, explain to me one more time why you took off early in the morning leaving Suzuka and Jim behind and dragged me with you."  
  
Gene growled in irritation and proceeded to explain through clenched teeth once again why exactly he was doing this. It was the...5th? 6th? 7th? time he'd told it to Gilliam? He had lost count.  
  
"So she loves you. You're going after her. Do you love her?"  
  
Gene growled a little louder and refused to answer. He simply got up and stalked out with Gilliam's 'soda cans' following him until he got to his room and slammed the door on 6 or 7 of the annoying little things. He threw himself onto the bed and scowled, sulking. Gilliam was hopeless.He would never have even the slightest comprehension of humans no matter how long he was around them.  
  
Ah well, Gene thought. He sighed and leaned back, pillowing his head on his arms. He thought of Inferno and the episode after that damnable water demon had attacked them. His hand went to his lips in memory of hers. What exactly had possessed him to kiss her was, as of yet, still beyond him. It had seemed like the right thing at the time. Again, why this was so he wasn't sure, but at the time........ He sighed again and closed his eyes, remembering the kiss. He almost relived the moment, recalling how her mouth, drowning in her own tears, had tasted of sweet rainwater,crushed rose petals and autumn leaves. He smiled and opened his eyes, his fingers playing across his lips. He leaned back again and fell asleep thinking of her. He dreamed strangely romantic dreams. Of moonlit forest coves in swirling mist and hundreds of luminous faeries flitting gracefully among the silver red flowers that littered the frosty ground and hung from half hidden tree branches of green and gold trees. And in the middle of every cove, just out of reach, clothed in white silk and crowned in gold chains and silver-red flowers, was Inferno, her long hair lifted slightly in a non- existent breeze and a soft mysterious smile playing across her mouth. He ran and ran, but each time he reached her, she dissappeared in a chorus of mischeivious faerie's laughter, only to reappear when he reached the next clearing.  
  
He started himself awake as his arm slipped and his head hit the wall of his room. Gene sat up groggily, rubbing his head. What had he been dreaming of again? He couldn't remember exactly, but he remembered that whatever it was had tormented his mind and body with a raging need and desire for something he could never quite reach.  
  
He stretched and pulled himself upright, still trying to remember the dream. He was still trying to recall it when he sat down in the Outlaw Star's kitchen/dining room to eat. He was silent while he ate, noticing how quiet it was when he was alone in the ship. But he didn't want any company from his friends. He didn't want Jim's nagging. He didn't feel like having Suzuka anyways. Melfina was out of the question-out of his life, was more like it. He was glad he'd managed to fix the Outlaw Star to run at full capacity with out her. Aisha had disappeared years ago with only a note that said she had things to do and might come and visit one day. As of yet he had niether seen nor heard anything from her. There was only one person he really wanted to be with right now, but that's why he was here to begin with. He stared at the kitchen section of the room, letting his eyes slide out of focus, and for just a moment, he saw her there, a memory of the bounty team. She stood up like she had just noticed him and smiled, her lips moving silently as she pointed something invisible out to him, and then she was gone. He blinked in surprise as he jerked out of his daze and shook his head.  
  
He got up and took his time getting to the cockpit, still reluctant to face Gilliam again. Grudgingly, he took his place in the captain's chair and turned to Gilliam. "Gilliam."  
  
"Yes Gene."  
  
"I want you to do a search on Inferno. See what you can find out about her." Gene prayed silently that Gilliam would keep his mouth shut.  
  
"Yes Gene." Thankfully, he seemed to do just that.  
  
For a few minutes of strained silence, Gene watched restlessly as numbers and letters flashed across the screen too fast to be read. The numbers and letters began to slow steadily until they stopped altogether. A picture of Inferno flashed up and her information typed itself out around the picture. Gilliam read it outloud to him. Gene was still to focused on the picture to even see the words.  
  
"Inferno. Age 29. Blood Type O. Species-20%human, 40%ctarl ctarl, 40% unknown. Hieght 5'7". Body structure slim. Weight 105 Lbs. Ship: the DragonWing. Class: Outlaw/Space Pirate/ Freelance Mercenary. Ship type: Bio genetically engineered class S grappler ship. Wanted for: Robbing another freelance ship, resisting arrest, destroying a total of 15 law force ships from various areas, jail break, destruction of a law force building (Centinal III), interfering in the arrest of space pirates, and robbing several banks and mercenarys from various areas."  
  
Gene had turned from the picture and was gaping open mouthed as Gilliam listed the offences for which Infernos was wanted. When he finished, Gene shook his head laughing. He shoudl've known. Inferno was a very emotional person, but she was no weakling. On the other hand, she seemed to have a reputation for trouble.  
  
"Was that all?" He asked.  
  
"That's all I could find in local databases, but I can do a universal search if you like. It might take a day or so, though."  
  
"Fine." Gene was in no hurry. But maybe any information Gilliam could turn up could possibly help him locate her.  
  
Gene yawned and stretched., standing up and walking down the hall. "Let me know when we reach the Towards Star Inn." He shot over his shoulder.  
  
"I'll wake you when we get there." Gilliam replied, the characters already flashing across the screen rapidly as he began his search.  
  
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Jay put his hand down from his head and looked in the mirror. He looked strained and tired. He was soaked in cold sweat. In a fit of temper and frustration, he wheeled around and slammed his fist into the wall. This only got him bruised knuckles, but he had gotten out some of his restless anger. 'At least I'm not still replacing walls every time I do that.' He thought as he massaged his knuckles. Turning back around, he turned on the faucet and splashed his face with cold water. Drying himself off, Jay recalled what it was that had woken him up in the middle of the night. He had been dreaming. Dreaming a memory, really. Reliving it once again.  
  
It was perhaps 16 years ago. He had been under cover, his restless nature throwing him out into the field though he could've simply had his minions do it for him. He was tracking a fairly powerful pirate that had tried to backstab him, and, realizing it hadn't worked, turned tail and ran. He had managed to avoid the enraged demon emperor thus far. But jay was fast behind him. In fact, he had not been one step away from catching the foolish pirate when he had run into a team of young bounty hunters that were after the same man and determined to get the reward money for him.  
  
His attention had been brought to a young half ctarl ctarl, perhaps a year younger than his apparent age. He kept tabs on the team in case they found the pirate. Jay had watched the girl. While the other of the team. particularly a tall red haired guy, had all rushed out recklessly and gone bursting in with guns drawn on false leads, she had disguised herself and asked around the entire town and gathered information on the man. He had been quite impressed when the young girl had found the man. He wanted to kill the man himself, but he hung back, curious to see her approach to it. Again, he was impressed when she avoided a fight altogether by approaching him as a friend and drugging his drink with a quick flick of her hand over his glass every time he set it down. She had dragged him to the police and gathered the reward with no trouble caused, no damage done, and no injuries sustained.  
  
He followed her, more curious than ever, and discovered that she was the age he had guessed and exceedingly wise beyond her years. Jay had also discovered her to be a beautiful young woman with a shapely body and a lovely face. .  
  
Jay had pursued her, his curiosity getting the better of him, and by asking around he found that her name was Inferno. He had searched the databases and gathered information on her, of which there was not much, but there was enough. She was 20% human, 40% ctarl ctarl, and 40% other. Jay had plenty of free time on his hands, and after a tedious search, he had discovered that the other 40% was demon. She was possessed of ctarl ctarl strength and transformation ability, but also of demon power. She would do perfectly, he thought as he swept out to find her.  
  
He found her. Yes, he found her alright. In fact, he had come across her on a deserted street late at night wandering by herself. Jay had dragged Inferno into a nearby alley, holding his hand to her mouth against the scream that bubbled up in her throat. Once there, he had released her and grabbed her shoulder, turning her roughly to face him. Inferno had stood motionless, her hair loose and disheveled tumbling down her back while Jay examined her, his eyes traveling every inch of her, his breathing ragged and uneven and a small smile played devilishly across his lips.  
  
His eyes finally found hers and she repressed the urge to flinch when his hand came up and rested on her cheek. Jay slid his hand to her chin, turning her head to look at her face, but her eyes never left his face. He admired her courage. His thumb traveled lightly across her lips and his eyes narrowed slightly when he found them to be trembling just a little. She wasn't as calm and collected as she looked. Inferno stood and endured his silent inspection until he finally finished and dropped his hand down to his side. He looked into her eyes again, and his face split into villainous smile that, frankly, unnerved her. Still, she suppressed a shudder and tilted her head upwards slightly in a show of false bravado. The number one rule, she told herself silently, is to never let them know you're afraid.  
  
Jay smiled at her show of bravery and licked his lips. "You're brave." he said in a low but very clear voice. "Brave and beautiful." he said, his eyes sweeping her once more. Inferno couldn't help trembling slightly-she wondered where he was going with this. Jay had noticed her small faltering and smiled again.  
  
Abruptly, he had shoved her against the wall, his nails in her throat, turning her head away from him. When she got over the shock, she felt his lips against her ear. He was speaking just above a whisper now but she heard every word. Inferno's eyes widened in astonishment when she heard the proposition. Before she could answer, or even react, his face was level with hers again and he had pinned her in a hard and possessive kiss. When Jay pulled himself back, his reddish black eyes glittering in the moonlight, Inferno was motionless against him except for the deep rasping breaths and the pulsing of her heart against his own chest. She was staring vaguely at him, her eyes still wide from the astonishment and surprise.  
  
Jay grinned down at her put his mouth to her ear again, feeling the soft fur brushing against his face. "Well?" he whispered.  
  
Inferno seemed to come out of her daze and began struggling against him. She had caught him so off guard that he stumbled backward and she had the time to draw the thin sword that hung from her belt. Before he could gather himself to retaliate, she had slashed neatly through the front of his robes, leaving a long gash from shoulder to waist. She lashed out again, but Jay had recovered enough to dodge backwards and the sword only grazed the side of his face lightly. The force of the swing carried Inferno right into him, and he grabbed her roughly as they fell to the ground and the sword clattered out of Inferno's hand to skitter to a halt a few feet away. Jay rolled over on top of Inferno, his blood dripping onto her, his eyes flaming and his long nails in her throat again. There was pure terror in her eyes now, there was no doubt of it.  
  
They sat there for some time like that, Inferno on the ground her breathing coming in gasps, her eyes wide and her body shaking in terror, and Jay on top of her, pinning her to the ground, his hand clutching her throat painfully, his breath heaving and his eyes glittering in fury. Jay began to tighten his grip slowly and Inferno struggled fiercely against him. But this time he was on guard and his fury made it so he easily held her down although the feel of her body writhing under his was torturing him physically. He growled at his own weakness and squeezed harder. Inferno was choking now, her breath coming in short coughing gasps. Her breathing grew more and more strained and he struggling began to slow until it stopped altogether. He had intended to strangle her, but as he watched her now, just barely concious, Jay thought that maybe instead he could simply take her. It would be easy enough-she was in no shape to resist anyways. Yes, that was it. He pulled his hand from her neck as she passed out. He saw the white mark where his hand had been and where his nails had cut into her skin she was bleeding. Jay saw that she had several small cuts, but nothing to worry over. Although that handprint on her neck was a bit disconcerting, she would live. She had only passed out. Her breathing was even now, her face, if not exactly peaceful, was blank.  
  
He lay on top of her for a few moments, catching his own breath and subduing his rage and the desire her struggles had kindled in him. He lay his head next to hers and absently nuzzled the spread of hair that fanned out around her face. He felt her breath against his skin and pulled himself up. Jay's hand found her chin and he turned her head to look at her face again. She really was quite beautiful, he thought, and brave, even if a little foolish.  
  
The earsplitting crack from the other end of the alley didn't register with Jay until the bullet cut it's way through his shoulder and the force of it threw him backwards off of Inferno. He snarled and got to his feet, clutching his shoulder in one hand and his staff in the other. His eyes found the rest of her bounty team, all with their weapons drawn. The man in the front, the reckless one with red hair, his gun was smoking. It was he who had shot Jay. Jay looked around him and decided the odds were far against him. With a flash and a deafening bang, he had disappeared-actually only to the rooftops above them, but they didn't know that. Jay watched them for a few moments while they gathered up Inferno and disappeared themselves into the night.  
  
Jay had made his way back to his ship and bandaged himself. But he would bear scars from the two gashes Inferno had inflicted.  
  
Now, Jay thought back to this while he pulled on his robes. His finger traced along the scar that ran from his cheek to his ear as he stepped into his throne room and stood near the window. A squeak near his feet brought his attention downwards and in a lightning fast motion he had snatched up a small mouse. He watched amused while the mouse struggled to free itself, scrambling across his fingers but never getting anywhere. She would pay, he thought. He would have her for himself. He threw the mouse into the air and threw a blast of power at it. Oh yes, she would pay, he thought, watching the ashes float lethargically to the floor. She would pay for refusing him, and he would have her and her body for his own. He thought at his plans of revenge and laughed evilly, quietly at first, then rising to a crescendo, the laughter echoing maniacally from the heights of the throne room, following him even as he swept out and down the dark hallways of his ship.  
  
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How do you like that? I kind of focused a bit on this demon emperor, Jay. Isn't it a cool character? I didn't go into the girl in the tattered cape from last chapter because she's really not part of any past of Inferno's, and hasn't run into her yet. She isn't very important in the story as of yet, but I will elaborate a bit more on her next chapter. Hmm.........I still need ideas for Aisha. hello? somebody? ah well. Let me know what you think! R&R please!  
  
~Rzeznik Rocker~ 


	6. What the Fuck?

Disclaimer:I do not own Outlaw Star. I only own Inferno, Jay, Zarcyte, Zirulaete, Serra and the DragonWing.  
  
Inferno Heart  
  
Chapter 5: What the Fuck???  
  
~Ok, im impressed by myself this time. The story is moving along pretty quickly, and I haven't run out of ideas yet like it usually goes for me. Let me know what you think!~  
  
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Inferno pulled her already soaked cape tighter around her, although it wasn't of very much use against the sheets of rain slicing down. She had forgotten how perfectly engineered the weather was here-so unpredictable, it was almost like Earth. Inferno didn't mind though. She loved the rain.  
  
The river like rushing of the torrential rain drowned out Inferno's thoughts, for which she was grateful. She had wanted to forget, just for a little while. She was soaked through her clothing, but she didn't care. She walked on, silent and nearly invisible through the curtain of rain.  
  
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Gene stumbled almost blindly through the rain, trying to decipher street sings and watching for any signs of life. As he tripped on a can, his raging stream of curses was carried off by the wind and drowned out by rain.  
  
'Did she have to choose a night like this?' he thought while trying to shield his eyes from the rain. 'Yes, of course she did. She loved the rain.'  
  
Finally, the rain began to ease up just a little. It was enough that he could see, anyways. It was then that a dark wraith like shape caught his attention, and, after studying it for a few moments, he realized it was a human in a dark cape, nearly invisible in the rain. What the fuck? he thought. Who could be out on a night like this? Then his heart leapt.  
  
His hopes high, Gene followed recklessly after it.  
  
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Inferno noticed the rain begging to slow and pulled her hood back just a little to drain the pool of water that had formed in a fold. She wandered on, oblivious to anything around her until, over the overwhelming smell of rain, she picked up a human scent. She couldn't identify it-she could only just barely tell it was there. But it was not too far away. Too close for comfort on a night like this, anyways. She sped up, her sharp eyes darting back and forth, and her ears twitching for any sound other than falling rain.  
  
When she realized that it was following her, Inferno broke into a dead run- and, being ctarl-ctarl AND demon, she was pretty damn fast.  
  
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"Fuck!" Gene's careless curse was just barely audible as he took off after the flitting shape before him. He could only just barely keep it in sight, but he kept running, a steady stream of curses falling behind him. After some amount of timeless chasing that felt like an eternity, Gene had followed it back to the docking bay and slipped inside behind it.  
  
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Inferno hurried inside the empty docking bay, trying to figure out if she had lost it. But all she could smell was rain and her own panic. She tried to calm herself down, and, shaking herself like a wet dog, stripped off her cape and ran a hand through her hair.  
  
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Gene's eyes widened in shock and something like glee. He was very close to ecstacy. The shape revealed itself to be Inferno. His hopes had not been in vain. Gene was not a very religious man, but right now he thanked whatever god was listening. Without thinking, he walked forward and said something almost inaudible.  
  
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What the fuck?!?!?!?!?!? was her only thought as Inferno wheeled around, pure terror ripping through her mind. Turning to flee, she ran straight into the phantom that had followed her here. Before she could comprehend what was happening, Inferno was on the ground, her eyes closed and breathing heavily. But there was someone on top of her. Inferno eased he eyes open slowly.  
  
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Gene hardly registered it when Inferno spun around and ran into him, knocking them both to the floor and knocking the wind out of him. For a few minutes, he lay there on top of her, trying to focus and catch his breath. He saw Inferno opening her eyes.  
  
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Inferno felt the blood rising in her face when she found herself looking into Gene's eyes. Unbidden, the memory floated up again. She could not move if she wanted to. He had fallen on top of her, effectively pinning her to the ground. Inferno's eyes strayed sideways as she felt his hands sliding up her arms to reach her own hands above her head.  
  
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Gene watched Inferno, her face going red at the sight of him. He was still breathing deeply, and couldn't think of anything to say. Instead, he relaxed his body and stretched out loosely on top of her, his hands moving lightly up her arms to find her hands. He lay his face next to hers, nuzzling it into her hair and reveling in her sweet scent that was noticable even over the fresh rain scent. He felt her muscles loosen and relax, her body going slack as he nipped lightly at her ear.  
  
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Inferno was tense and wary when Gene stretched himself langoriously over her and nuzzled her neck, but she couldn't help but relax when his mouth found her ear. Instead of resisting, she closed her eyes, exalting in his attention. She moved a little when he kissed her neck, but was stopped when his mouth capture hers.  
  
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Gene was playing lightly with her ear, but he soon found himself trailing down to her throat and up to possess her mouth in a kiss that, he thought, should've been done a long time ago. He could feel himself falling away from reality, but he couldn't bring himself to stop. Instead, he held the kiss, loving the irresistable taste of her mouth. 'Like rose petals and rainwater.....' he thought vaguely.  
  
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Inferno was slightly taken aback when he started kissing her, but she soon began to lose all logic and reasoning. She wanted him-loved him, needed him. That was all she knew now, and she felt herself returning the kiss, deep animal purrs coming from her throat as he played with her ears again, tweaking them and petting them, and she felt herself nuzzling against his hand.  
  
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Gene felt Inferno returning the kiss, and pulled back after a few minutes. Her eyes were still closed and her face flushed. He brought his hand up and toyed with her ear, tweaking and petting and pulling and rubbing. He heard her purring, like a cat, and felt her pushing her face against his hand. He looked down at her, and his eyes took in her face-flushed with passion and soaked with rainwater, her hair dripping and falling across her face and shoulders limply. He rolled off of her some and looked at her. She was soaked through, her clothes clinging wetly to her body and accentuating the curves to it. She was laying almost underneath him now, purring quietly with her face in his hands. When he moved away some, she followed him, wrapping one arm around him possessively.  
  
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Inferno purred and rubbed against Genes hand, feeling him roll over a little. For a few minutes, he absently stroked her ear and looked at her. But when he attempted to move away a little more, Inferno growled softly and her arm snaked it's way around him, pulling him to her in a tight hold as she nuzzled her face against his neck affectionately. This was how she wanted it to be, she thought, how it should always be, and snuggled herself tighter against him.  
  
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Gene felt Inferno pull him hard against her, and he had to close his eyes and take several deep breaths to still the desire that the simple motion had sparked inside him. When he had calmed himself enough, he brought himself to look at her. She was snuggling against his chest while her arms held him in an unyielding embrace. He smiled and draped his arms around her, returning the fiercely possessive grip she had on him.  
  
After a few moments, though, Gene realized himself to be sharing with her another passionate kiss. When they pulled away, he let himself stretch languidly over her, enjoying the feel of her beneath him. Through the thin material of her outfit, he could feel her breasts rising and falling beneath him with her ragged and uneven breathing.  
  
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Inferno was breathing roughly, and slowly coming back to awareness. Her eyes shifted from Genes chest to his face and locked with his. She caught her breath and felt the color rising again. She pushed herself forcefully out from under him and crawled backwards until her back was against the wall. She sat there trying to catch her breath, here eyes never leaving him. She daren't look away from him, but his eyes had left her face and were fixed somewhere below it. She glanced down to see what he was looking at and stifled a scream. Her hands flew up to cover herself and struggled with the open zipper that left her breasts visible.  
  
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Gene felt Inferno coming out of her trance and looked down to meet her shocked and mortified gaze. She struggled against him and scrambled backwards to the wall and lay there catching her breath. But he wasn't paying attention to that. His eyes had fallen perhaps a foot and found her breasts and upper torso exposed to the eye. He knew he should look away, but he couldn't. His eyes were swimming and his breathing was fast becoming ragged and uneven. He tried desperately to suppress his desire once more, but he was choking on it now. His eyes skittered around the room hopefully and returned to find her wrestling the zipper back together. He closed his eyes, relieved, and struggled for air. Gene turned back to her but found himself staring at an empty wall. An empty room for that matter.  
  
She was nowhere to be found. Her cape was gone too. All that was left of the encounter was a puddle on the floor where they had lain and wet footprints lead down the line of ships. Gene's mind snapped into action and he sprinted down the bay following the footprints. He skidded to a halt just as the port opened to dispatch a ship into space. He only just caught the name on the side-the DragonWing, before it had turned and gone.  
  
He stood motionless for some time, staring after it. It was as he had guessed. She was afraid-and confused. He silently cursed himself for making a mess of things once again. It was just......when he saw her.........he had lost all comprehensive thought. He couldn't have said anything if he tried. Gene sighed and walked back to the hotel he was staying at and dozed fretfully the rest of the night.  
  
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Inferno sat in the cockpit of the DragonWing, one hand clinging desperately to the arm of the chair, and one to her mouth, trying to still her raging stomach. Why did he always have that effect on her? she wondered silently. Was she doomed to play cat and mouse like this forever? She squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself against another wave of nausea. Lust and terror don't go well together, she thought. Definitely not a good combination. It always seemed to turn her stomach inside out.  
  
She reviewed her run in with Gene and found herself questioning his behavior. He continued to surprise her. He just kept coming. Although, she should've known he wouldn't give up. He never was quitter when he really wanted something. The thought sent a cold shiver up her spine and down her arms. Really..............wanted........something? She thought numbly. But if he hadn't given up on her then.........that would mean.......he wanted her.......but....but couldn't it be just lust? Yes, she thought wildly, that had to be it. Lust. She refused to believe that he might love her, although that was what she wanted most and what her heart screamed was the truth. She was afraid. Afraid that he would break her heart again. Afraid to face his feelings. Afraid that they rivaled her own. Afraid to know the truth of him.....  
  
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Jay stared vaguely out the window, reliving the cursed memory again. He had seen it more times than he cared to count over the past 16 years. He drew his sword inattentively and drew his tongue across the edge of the blade in silent oath. A trickle of blood crawled its way down the blade, sealing the oath. He watched the blade absently, his eyes narrowing. 'Damn her.' he thought. 'She would pay.Who the fuck had she thought she was dealing with?' He pressed his finger against the blade, watching the blood drip down the silver blade. His thoughts had become rather boring as of late, but only because he was very single minded and was currently focusing on the revenge and capture of Inferno.  
  
A wicked smile lit his face. He sheathed his sword and swept to towards the door of his ship, shedding his immaculate white robes and cloak for shabbier midnight black ones. He was restless. The hunt would do him good. That and the satisfaction of catching her with his own hands-to see the look on her face when he grabbed her and took her. He closed his eyes, envisioning this and laughed maniacally as he left the ship and disappeared into the night.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"fuck, Fuck, FUCK!" she screeched, her rage letting out over her better judgment. Having gotten that out, she sat down and scowled at the wall in aggrivation. She had been tracking for 5 days and only just barely picked up the trail. She pulled her tattered cape back around her and ran nimbly down the steps of the fire escape and darted swiftly down the streets towards the docking bay.  
  
Her ship had been damaged in the entrance when an asteroid collided with it, but it would be alright. She didn't have time to fix it now. Moving stealthily down the line of ships, sticking strictly to the shadows, she found her ship and slid inside without a sound.  
  
"Ssserra!" her waspish voice hissed out and the computer in the front switched on, its digital eyes swiveling towards her.  
  
"Yes?" it asked, its voice slightly metallic and sarcastic.  
  
"Ssset courssse for Blue Heaven Sssserra."her reddish slit-like eyes flashed and her tongue hissed out from between her teeth.  
  
"Of course" the computer made a series of metallic clicking and sighing noises and the ship took off in a matter of moments.  
  
Zirulaete leaned back, her tongue hissing out restlessly and her eyes darting around rapidly. Zirulaete was a snake demon hired to track down a mix breed girl who had caused her employer great pains. Her cloak was pulled back, exposing her bare, scaled breasts the round contours of which were a severe contrast to the rough scales covering her, The low waist silk bellbottoms were loose and long at the bottom, dragging along the ground leaving the ends dirty and frayed. Her claws stuck out from below the pants and scraped restlessly on the floor of the ship. Currently retracted fins along the length of her arms could be extended to become leathery transparent wings and her tail twitched against the wall. Zirulaete picked a piece of meat from between her long fangs and her lanky black hair fell limply across her snake-like face. She was a jewel among the Izancae-the snake tribes. She was a rank S assassin and on her way to ruling the Izancae and claiming the title of Silincul for herself.  
  
Zirulaete laughed softly, a series of short hissing coughs of amusement, at the thought of the current Silincul. He had been strong once, but he had grown soft in the throne of luxury and gone to seed. He was a lecherous fool, and Zirulaete had him playing to her desires like a puppet whose strings were wrapped around her fingers. Slowly, she thought, but soon. Soon she would rule.He didn't know who the fuck he was dealing with. Zirulaete thought to herself. She had no intention of letting her employer have the mix breed either. She had seen the girl. She had power. Zirulaete also knew that she was an excellent tracker, and could see truth in the eyes of any demon. Zirulaete could use her to weed out traitors and track down backstabbers. Maybe then she would release her, but for now, she would serve as a useful tool and an amusing pet.  
  
Yesssssss, Zirulaete thought her eyes flashing, She would turn over the girl to her employer and collect the money and then retrieve her later and make off with both.  
  
Zirulaete fell asleep, her mind reviewing her plans of domination and deception with writhing glee.  
  
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well? anybody? What do u think? Zirulaete is kool, and Jay has gone after Inferno personally. And how about that encounter between Gene and Inferno? Romantic, aint it? haha! tell me what you think please! any suggestions are welcome ^^ haha! i still need ideas for aisha! help! *will do more with Jay next chapter. ive been kind of focusing on one character each chapter even though i include them all in each one. rated R for u probably know why by now!  
  
R&R!  
  
~RzeznikRocker~ 


	7. Exit Light, Enter Night

Disclaimer: I do not own Outlaw Star. I only own Inferno, Jay, Zarcyte, the DragonWing, Serra, and Zirulaete.  
  
Chapter 6: Exit Light, Enter Night.  
  
This is a chapter revolving solely around Inferno. I know I said I would do something with Jay, but this chapter follows a dreams of Inferno's that goes along loosely to the song Enter the Sandman by Metallica. You'll see. It's all about Inferno, so any 'her' refered to is Inferno, unless stated otherwise.  
  
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The steady pounding of the drum echoed thourgh Inferno's mind. It was black, and she heard the start of a song she should know but couldn't remember right then. The guitar started, sending dull spurts of color through her mind to the chords and notes played. Without warning, the entire song pounded out deafeningly loud, throwing blinding flashes of color through her mind. Her body arched and twisted in pain as the flashes seared across her like spurts of fire. The lyrics that she could vaguely here started up, and the vision began to flicker and vibrate before her eyes, pulsing like a strobe light.  
  
"Say your prayers it's the one, Don't forget my son To include everyone."  
  
There was a brief image of a boy kneeling by his bed and being attacked by a shadowy wraith.  
  
"I tuck you in Warm within, Keep you free from sin, Til the Sandman he comes"  
  
There was maniacal laughter now, ringing in her ears. It began as a high pitched squeal, lowering in tone to a menacing laugh. A smiling mouth with rows of jagged red teeth opened before her and looked as if to swallow her. There was the image of an evil, black lined, bloodshot eye, the pupils black slits set in red and darting around rapidly in the pulsing.  
  
"Sleep with one eye open. Gripping your pillow tight!"  
  
The light faded momentarily, to come back with a blinding flashing intensity that sent her mind turning cartwheels with the crash of drums.  
  
"Exit light! Enter night! Taaake my hand! We're off to never-never land......hehe..."  
  
She was falling. No. Sliding. She was sliding down something soft but firm. It was.....she felt it....flesh. It was someone's arm. Her mind numbed when she came to a halt on a red star tattoo outlined in yellow. She raised her head to look at the face of her beautiful redhead.......his name escaped her for some reason..........and she saw him. But there was something wrong.......He smiled, baring fangs, his eyes glowing red as he ripped away and swirled into an invisible hole in space. She was falling again. She was in her own bed. But.......  
  
"Something's wrong. Stopped the light. Heavy thought's tonight. And you wanna survive..."  
  
The bed split beneath her, opening to a pit of flames with her redheads face smiling enticingly up at her. Her heart wrenched, but her mind was aware enough to keep her from jumping. She whipped around, ther hair flying and her turning in slow motion as she screamed noislelessly when a dragon's face loomed out of the darkness and sparked a flame that raced towards her in slow motion, prolonging the black terror.  
  
"Dreams of war Dreams of lies Dreams of dragon's fire and of things that will bite!....yeah!"  
  
A toothy face loomed out of the darkness, lit by flames from below, smiling wickedly.  
  
'hehehe........boo.'  
  
It lunged for her, and she ran, oblivious to anything around her. She ran up and down and climb invisible ladders and fell down invisible cliffs. She stopped, the evil slit-like eye looming up in front of her again, pulsing madly in silver black and white.  
  
"Sleep with one eye open, Gripping your pillow tight."  
  
The ground split beneath her, and she was thrown into a raging whirlpool of blackness, light, and lightning cracks of pain.  
  
"Exit light! Enter night! Take my hand! We're off to never-never land.........hehe"  
  
Inferno blinked. She was on the floor of her room, naked and tangled in bedsheets, her breasts just barely covered. She tried to move, but found herself pinned to the floor by someone on top of her. She struggled and managed to rool over until she was looking up. She was laying beneath Gene, who was also apparently naked and wrapped in the same sheets as her. He didn't speak, but smiled a rather malicious looking smile and lowered his head to her. She felt hime breathing on her neck and started to relax. But there was something.......the pounding of a drum and the quiet notes of guitar alerted her to the situation. She struggled like mad, but Gene brought his hand to her throat and gripped it tightly, his eyes dancing and smiling psychotically. He pressed one finger to his lips for her to be quiet and lowered his head slowly towards her.  
  
"Hush little baby dont say a word, and never mind that noise you heard. It's just the beast under your bed, in your closet in your head!"  
  
Gene rapidly became the demon emperor that had nearly killed her 16 years ago. He dragged her upwards and stripped the sheet off her in one motion and pinned her against the wall by her neck with one hand. He was smiling the same psychotic smile, but there was a terrifying thing in his eyes. Lust. That was the only explination. His eyes were roving across her body, and he licked his lips. She tried to cover herself as best she could with her arms, but he was against her, stretching her arms high above her head, his mouth claiming hers in a hard possessive kiss.  
  
"Exit Light! Enter Night! Take my hand! We're off to never-never land!...hehe"  
  
Her arms were stretched painfully upwards and chained to the wall by her wrists. She couldn't move. Her hands were bound and he was against her, preventing any possible movement she could have made. The room spun madly and changed to another room. A bedroom that was richly furnished but sinister looking. His mouth was on her neck now, and moving slowy downwards until her was kissing her breasts. His hands were just as eager and moved from her stomach to her hips at an intense speed. She jerked sharply away when his fingers brushed lightly over her groin and trailed down along the bone of her hip. His hands shot out to grab her by the waist and he pushed her back against the wall.  
  
"Exit Light! Ener Night! Take my hand! We're off to never-never land......."  
  
She screamed in terror and pain when his fangs sunk deep into her right breast, drawing blood and sending brilliant flashes of pain through her mind. She arched and wrenched, tears of agony choking her screams while he remained motionless, his fangs still deeply imbedded. When she had almost pased out from the pain, he gingerly removed his teeth and straightened to look at her. Her eyes were just barely focused and still squinting against the pain. She could feel the blood flowing freely from her breast and down her body. She saw the blood-her blood, dripping from his mouth. His tongue snaked out to lick the blood off and smiled at her triumphantly. She passed out.  
  
"........we're off to never-never land................take my hand...........we're off to never-never land............"  
  
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Inferno jerked awake with the sensation of falling. She bolted upright, clutching the sheet to her. She was in her own room, alone. She must have fallen out of bed. The covers were damp, and she could feel herself covered in a fine layer of cold sweat. She wasn't surprised. The terror that the dream had ensued would probably have been enough to make her throw up if it had been a real incident. She thanked whatever gods were listening that it had been only a dream. She climbed shakily back into bed and dozed fretfully the rest of the night, in and out of small scenes of the dream.  
  
When she woke in the morning, she was pissed and dissappointed that she could recall every last detail of the dream. She saw it in fast forward, convulsively raising her hand to her right breast and shuddering in memory. She swallowed the bile that rose up and splashed cold water on her face, deciding that a walk would do her good. She pulled her cape around her and made her way swiftly out the door.......  
  
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So, wut'd u think? I thought it was pretty kool. A very interesting dream, but still very neat ^^  
  
R&R!  
  
~RzeznikRocker~ 


	8. Asassins and Nightmares

Disclaimer:Outlaw Star is not mine! I only own Inferno, Jay, Zarcyte, Zirulaete, Serra, and the DragonWing.  
  
Chapter 7: Asassins and Nightmares. ~~~~ This chapter, Zirulaete becomes more of a player in the story. Gene confesses his love to Inferno. She has to do something before she can go back and just be with him, but how will Zirulaete's interference play out in this? Will they ever get to be together? Read and find out! haha! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah........................................ ......"  
  
Inferno hit the floor hard as her scream echoed through the infinity of her dreams and the vastness of her ship. She pulled herself up, shaking and soaked in cold sweat. She had had a dream-no, a nightmare. The demon emperor again. It had been the worst yet. A riddle mostly in an impossibly possible nightmare horror that can only happen in dreams.  
  
She shuddered again and went to the bathroom to wash her face, thinking about the dream despite how much she didn't want to. She was reliving it again............... ~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He watched Inferno settled into sleep and drifted blissfully in a peaceful infinity. 'But not for long' he thought, smiling to himself as he began the nightmare dream invasion spell.  
  
"Silens somnius Silomnius facultas atrocitas flamma sussuro illic ineo pervas eradico captus.............  
  
Disperdo! Anullo! Acido! Meus eversor.............  
  
Maleficus somnius Inflammo territo  
  
Intemptesta noctis...............  
  
Inflammo Piaculum.................  
  
Diabolus flamma Intra, anullo Sussuro peona  
  
Inflammo mortuus  
  
Somnius pereo  
  
Praesumo illic est disperdo.....  
  
Disperdo! Anullo! Accido! Intra est disperdo..............  
  
Sonmius invado! Silomnius Incantio!"  
  
As he spoke, he walked around the circle of sand and drew runes and symbols that represented lost and forgotten things. The spell would help bring her closer faster. When the spell was finished, he turned the sand to stone so that it might not be disturbed and watched the nightmare begin to take shape......... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She walked for what seemed forever. But each step brought her no closer to anything but the blackness that surrounded her on all sides. She kept walking until the black began to fade in spots to a deathly blood red-the red of death and terror. More and more endless walking in the red and black swirling led her to a mirror that stood before her. She looked in the mirror and saw not herself but a hideous fanged monster with gnarled claws and evil eyes staring back. She fell back in shock and screamed. The scream echoed back to her from all directions. She ventured another look in the mirror.  
  
The monster smiled, baring its blood red fangs and a long black slathering tongue dripping acidic venom. The gnarled hands and claws reached from the mirror and pulled her in befored she could utter but a small gasp that echoed insanely behind her.  
  
The monster wasn't a monster anymore, but an amazingly good looking black haired man of her own age with shimmering deep purple eyes and a kind face. She gasped despite herslef. He was positively amazing. Her better instincts told her not to trust him, but she had already accepted the hand he offered. He pulled her up and smiled dazzlingly. She couldn't take her eyes off him.  
  
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she saw something sinister and familiar in his eyes. She hesitated. It was sending shivers crawling down her spine as a wave of nauseating terror spread slowly through her. She almost pushed him away, but he was too fast.  
  
The horror dawned on her face of what she had seen in his eyes. As he grabbed her, his hair lengthened until it reached the floor and the red tips grew in as well. His eyes changed from the shimmerind purple to a wicked red with black outlines and white pupils.  
  
"You!" she screamed. But her scream was cut off.  
  
He captured her mouth with his, catching her scream. He was kissing her. The kiss was rough and bruising, his tongue invading her mouth relentlessly and his lips punishing hers mercilessly. When he pulled back, she was dazed and short of breath, her eyes slowly regaining focus as she recovered from the shock. He kissed her again, kissing her neck, her throat, her temples, and moving down, he kissed the tops of her breasts that were exposed by her low neck shirt. She gasped when his lips touched her, but she was still dazed and didn't push away. He brought hi head up to look at her and smiled.  
  
Her eyes were misted over and her breath was short and uneven. He felt a startling twinge of compassion for her. She was absolutely beautiful. He knew no other could possibly do for him. He would have her in real life. Not just some dream.... He stopped the dream. He couldn't finish it. He was aggrivated. He wanted her for real. but he would have her.  
  
He got up and walked out, his thoughts preoccupied with her. Could demon's love? he wondered. Jay thought about this the rest of the day. He couldn't stop thinking about it, and it disturbed him.  
  
He went to bed that night thinking about her. He slept little, and when he did he dreamed of her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Zirulaete darted swiftly down the alleys and side streets, slipping from shadow to shadow in such a skilled manner you might have thought it was the wind. It would have taken a very powerful demon's eye to see her moving so intently focused, her assassin's skills mingling with her snake demon's prowess.  
  
"Fuck!" she hissed under her breath. She had just missed her prey again. She needed to get back to her ship immediately. Get out of here fast or she would lose the girl.  
  
Her breath hissed out rapidly as she increased her speed. It was such an oportunity. If she could get there before the girl did...she could cut her off and it would be over......she would have everything she needed to rule the ............ She was pushing herself, faster. She needed more speed. If she pushed herself to far. No, she wouldn't think about that. But she was going so fast already, it was almost more than her body could handle.  
  
No, she had to get there. She wanted no more of this wild goose chase, as those humans put it. She was almost there. Yes, she made it-and none of the ships had left yet. She let her body relax.  
  
Picking a vantage point for an ambush, Zirulaete waited for her happily oblivious prey. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gene lay back on the pillow, thinking about what he had said to Inferno the other day. He had tried to make himself clear. he was sure she understood. But she said she needed time-time to think. Time to get herself together. Thee had been something bothering her that she wouldn't talk about.  
  
So he had let her go. All he could do now was wait for her. And he would. He had spoken with her, told her everything. And for now he was content to sit and wait for her to return. He knew she needed the time alone.  
  
But he also knew that he would follow her wherever she went. He wouldn't go near her, persay, unless he had to, as much as he wanted to. But he would follow her ship and make sure she was alright-he had a prickling feeling something was coming-for her, for him, for them. She was in some sort of danger, he thought, and he would help her whatever the case may be.  
  
Gene sighed. He wished she would come back. The wait was killing him, but he loved her enough to respect her wishes. Things had gone too well for him to risk messing things up again. He would be alright. If he could manage this short amount of time, this little bit, he wouldn't ever have to wait again.  
  
He smiled to himself. No, he wouldn't let her slip away again, no matter how hard she tried. He would protexct her till he himself died. Love her till her died. This revelation startled him a bit, and yet he wasn't amazingly surprised.  
  
"Gilliam!"  
  
"Yes Gene."  
  
"When the DragonWing leaves port, put up all cloaking devices and follow at a safe disdtance, understand? I'm going to get some sleep."  
  
"Yes Gene, understood." Gilliam moved out of the room with a series of mechanical whirring noises.  
  
Gene lay back down and closed his eyes, smiling. Everything was going perfect. He fell asleep thinking about Inferno. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Inferno woke in her room, looking around curiously. The dream had abruptly ended. The demon-Jay-he had seemed somehow, annoyed. But.....What was going on here? Had it not been her dream? But how......  
  
She stopped. She didn't even want to think that someone else was manipulating her dreams.....But why had Jay come back into her thoughts after so many years? How did she even know his name? He never mentioned it in their brief run in..... Only that he had wanted her........ But why? Why was everything coming back now?  
  
She got dressed, remembering she had to get something before she left port. ~~~~~  
  
When Inferno returned, she had forgotten all about the dreams she had of the demon emperor. She was thinking about the conversation she had had with Gene when he had carried her back to his ship after finding her drunk and passed out in a bar. She really should have held back on the alchohol, but she had just wanted to forget-just for a little while. She had forgotten, yes, but she had inadvertently left herself to the mercy of whoever might have seen her in the bar. Any disgusting lowlife might have picked her up. In her drunken state, she might have been raped without even knowing it. She shook the thought away. She wouldn't let herself drink that much in a bar again. If she wanted to get drunk, she thought, she would buy it and bring it back to the ship-she had some relative safety there.  
  
But the important thing was that it was Gene who had picked her up and brought her back to his ship. He had talked to her. He had explained, apologized, pleaded, and, she smiled, he had said that-he loved her. She just needed time to think. She would return. She felt there was something she had to do first. Somethign she didn't know yet......but somehow, Inferno knew, she would know soon enough.  
  
She was so preoccupied, she never saw the thing coming down on her until it hit her and she wasn't able to make a sound before she was slammed backwards onto the ground, her breath knocked out of her. The thing was on her chest, not just the weight of it painful but the claws digging viciously into her breasts and the weight making it hard for her to breathe. She looked up at it. There was a green face with red slit-like eyes and lanky black hair that hung limply. She looked closer and saw scales on the thing. Her eyes skittered back to the things face when it made a series of coughing noises that resembled laughs. A snakelike tongue hised out as it moved slightly on top of Inferno, making her gasp with the pain. The claws were latched wickedly in the soft flesh of her breasts and she could feel the blood dripping fro them. She gasped and writhed beneath the thing, trying to get out.  
  
"Whatsssssssssssss the matter girl?" She said-Inferno was sure it was a she. "Can't take a little pain?" She laughed again.  
  
Inferno realised she was looking at a snake demon-an Inzancae. Probably an assassin. Only the assassins ventured out without reason. Inferno vaguely remembered crossing paths with a male Izancae before. He was probably looking for revenge. She squirmed again when the Izancae moved.  
  
"Come now, I thought you were more resssssilient than that." It was mocking her. "Whatsssssss you're name girl?"  
  
"I-In-Inferno." she managed to gasp.  
  
"Interesssssting name. For your information, you're looking at the assssssssssasssssssssin Zirulaete. Few have looked upon me and lived thisssssss long. You should feel honored. I need you, you sssssee. You're crucccial to my plan. Perhapsssss, when I'm finished with you, if you've behaved and done everything I told you, I'll let you go." Zirulaete stopped and laughed again.  
  
"What?" 'Zirulaete?' she thought. 'The famous assassin? A rank S assassin? What could she need me for?' Zirulaete's reputation was well known.  
  
"I sssee you recognize me. My reputation preccccccccceedssssss me." She laughed. "Now, tell me which ssssship is yourssssssss."  
  
"L-let me up and I'll show you."  
  
"And let you essssscape little one? I think not."  
  
"I'll sware it by whichever god you please. I won't try to escape."  
  
"Hmmm............very well, girl. But should you try to run, I'll have to put you on a leassssssssh." She laughed again.  
  
Zirulaete dislodged her claws-not gently either. She may as well have yanked them out. Inferno had to bite her lip to keep from crying out in pain. She got ot her feet carefully and leaned against the wall for a minute catching her breath.  
  
"come now. Be a good girl and ssssssshow me where you're sssssssship issssssssss."  
  
Inferno stood up and walked slowly and deliberately towards her ship. Zirulaete was right behind her. She stopped in front of the DragonWing.  
  
"Isssssss thissssss monsssssster yoursssssss?" Zirulaete said, taking in the huge ship.  
  
"Yes. This is mine. It's called the DragonWing."  
  
"The DragonWing..... I believe we'll be taking you're sssssssship, little one." Zirulaete said, smiling. The ship must be like a mansion inside.  
  
"I-Isuppose....." In truth, she didn't know about letting Zirulaete onto her ship.  
  
"Well letssssssssssssss go then."  
  
Inferno reluctantly led the way to the door of the ship. The small eye over it opened and looked down at them.  
  
"Inferno, captain and owner, comnfirmed. Unknown persons please leav. You are not part of the crew."  
  
"Zarcyte, open the door."  
  
"But Inferno, she's not a crew member."  
  
"Well then make me one!" Zirulaete hissed. She was annoyed and yet excited. This ship had a REAL organicised system. Not the cheap sarcastic scrap metal that called itself Serra.  
  
"Inferno?"  
  
"yes, Zarcyte, make her a crew member for now." Inferno sighed. This was getting worse by the minute.  
  
There was a succession of odd mechanical noises and the door slid open.  
  
"Crew emember Zirulaete of the DragonWing confirmed."  
  
They stepped onto the ship and Zarcyte descended on Inferno in a flurry of purple.  
  
"Where have you been?" she demanded as Zirulaete watched incredulously. A dragon! "And you're injured! Look at yourself!"  
  
"I'm fine Zarcyte. Go, launch the ship. Send a message to the Outlaw Star. Tell them we have to go do something and tell Gene not to worry."  
  
"Gene?" Zirulaete didn't like the idea that they were sending a message. "Who isssss thissssssssss you're sending a messsssssssssssage to?"  
  
"M-my boyfriend. I promised to send him an email when I left."  
  
"hm........." She thought over this for a few moments. Then shrugged. Apparently that was good enough for her.  
  
Zirulaete was exploring the vast expanses of the DragonWing when they launched. And, undetected. the Outlaw Star followed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``  
  
So, my friends, how was that? It wasnt as good as other chapters, but its a filler. it gets better again later on-i just needed this in between thing. R&R! ~Rzeznik Rocker~ 


	9. Sweet Revenge

Disclaimer: I don't own outlaw star. i own only my own characters and creations, etc. anything that comes out of my own imagination is mine.  
  
Chapter 8: Sweet Revenge ~~~~~~~~~ Chapter 8. I'm back on track and hoping to get the story moving again. i was just stuck on an in between for last chapter. So here's the next chapter. Say hello to the demon emperor. Revenge is a wonderful thing. So Jay knows and intends it for Inferno. but how? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Zirulaete laughed at the wreckage of the pirates that had attacked them. The girl was skilled in grappler combat, she saw. They had become good friends, actually, in the 72 hours of travel. She rather liked the mix breed outlaw girl. Her careless abandon in a fight and the inevitable high Inferno got was contagious.  
  
Maybe she could-ASK Inferno to help her........the thought seemed rather possible now. There are some things in life that you can't come out of and not be friends. Almost dying together was one of them-the pirates had been tough. They had to work together to destroy them.  
  
In the past couple days, Inferno and Zirulaete had talked a lot. And Zarcyte too. Zirulaete was fascinated by Zarcyte and the fact that she was both the ship and an independent entity as well as a dragon.  
  
"They were tough, but they were no match!" she said gleefully.  
  
"Are you kidding? For a pirate with a reputation like mine and an assassin with a reputation like yours? If they had known who we were they would've turned tail and ran before the first blow was struck!" Inferno replied laughing. She liked Zirulaete too. She was clever and fun to be around, if she wasn't trying to kill you.  
  
"I sssee your point."  
  
Inferno was considering helping her with whatever Zirulaete had kidnapped her for in the first place.  
  
"Why was it you wanted me anyways?" Inferno asked when the ship was again in Zarcyte's control.  
  
"I am trying to put down the leader of the Izancae." Zirulaete said. "He'ssssssss old and wicked and makessssss harsssssh unfair lawsssssssss. I'm intending to change it all and take his placcccce asssssssss Sssssssssilincul. It was he who hired me to capture you, but when I ssssssaw you, I thought I could ussssse you to help me overthrow him."  
  
"I see. So you were going to use my power to destroy the Silincul so that you could take his place?" Inferno saw the logic in all this. Zirulaete was working for a good cause, she supposed.  
  
Zirulaete nodded in response.  
  
"Well, I'll make you a deal. I have to do something. I'm not sure what, but I know it's going to happen very soon. When I'm finished, I'll help you. You can hang around with me or go wait somewhere. It's up to you. Sound good?"  
  
Zirulaete pondered this for a few moments. Then "I think I'll sssssssstay with you my friend. I have to make sssssssssure you're ssssssstill alive to help me." She laughed her little coughing sounds of amusement. "But yessss that doessssss ssssssssound reassssssssssssonable." She sta back in her chair. What was a little longer? And anyways, this ship was like living in a flying castle. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He was a living shadow. Unseen, unheard, unnoticed by the world around him. He may as well have been invisible. But he was the next best thing. The black of his robes blending beautifully with the night and hiding him from all. He moved swiftly but at a comfortable pace. He didn't need to rush and waste his energy.  
  
Jay rubbed his hands together in anticipation. His magnificent floor length black hair was flowing freely, the red tips shining on his bangs and the bottom of his hair. His eyes, the red eyes with the black rims and the white pupils, his eyes were glinting maliciously above his simple gold rimmed half moon glasses. The red stripes on his skin glowed faintly, as they always did when he threw himself into completing a goal. By all accounts, he took no pains with his appearance. Simple robes of black or white. The delicate half moon glasses rimmed in the finest gold. His rune staff, always. A sword, perhaps. And the inevitable brush to his wild mane of hair. Simple and perfect. The way he always liked things. Simple, easy, and perfect.  
  
Many women who had seen him feared him and yet fell before his charms. He couldn't understand what repelled Inferno so. He was not vain, but he knew himself to be 'beautiful' with the sort of graceful charm that cast a spell on most females-human or demon. It infuriated him. What was it that made her find it so appalling to be around him? Perhaps fear? If it was that, it was rightly founded.  
  
But wether she feared him or not, it didn't matter, Jay decided. Sweet revenge was to come very soon. Inferno would pay for her refusal. And he would enjoy teaching her manners and obedience to him. He would also derive great pleasure from her tantalizing body. He smiled. Once he had shown her passion she would beg him to have her. Fear him, perhaps, but want him. He laughed outloud at his visions of her beneath him, her eyes vague, her body contorted in pure, passionate abandon, a toy for his every whim and desire.  
  
He never faltered in his pace as he saw these visions before his eyes of Inferno, in the throes of passion that only he would give her, that she would beg him for. He was on a high. Nothing would ever replace the thrill of the hunt for him. The simple exquisite rush that overtook him. His imagination was running rampant on the infinite possibilities and the sheer excitement he derived from it all heightened his senses. He could hear a pin drop over the crowd of a concert, so good had his hearing become. He could see, in ultimate detail, every face within a half mile. And could feel the vibrations in the ground of the people up to a mile away and pick out each individual by the strength and frequency of the waves.  
  
Yes, he was on a high that no other could match but the pleasure of sexual gratification. Jay moved like water through the crowds. Never touching, never seen, never heard. He was almost there. He could smell her distinct scent that no other could possibly be close to. The unique combination of race was there. It was all he concentrated on-he was glad it was night. She would never notice him before it was too late.  
  
He was inside the docking bay now. It was quiet. Everyone was out at some sort of a celebration. He spotted her. There, in the open, the perfect prey. Utterly unawares. She appeared to be heading for whatever ship was hers. Smiling, he thought to himself, too bad she'll never make it. Swift and silent he moved in on her, taking great pains not to be detected.  
  
He threw his hand over her mouth to stifle her scream as he descended on her seemingly a detatchment of the darkness itself. He was right-she had truly not known he was there. He was laughing quietly. He looked down into her face. What he saw was nothign less than utter terror. He wasn't surprised. He'd probably startled her so bad she was suffering delayed shock. She was watching him warily.  
  
"Don't scream or I'll give you a real reason to. Understand?" he hissed gleefully. She nodded mutely. Jay removed his hand from her mouth and instead used it to pin her other arm.  
  
"You!" her breath hissed out.  
  
"I'm glad you remember me. But you also remember what I said? I don't take refusal well, I'm afraid. In fact, I don't take it at all." he laughed again.  
  
Inferno's eyes widened as comprehension dawned on her. He was going to kidnap her! Like he had tried to 15 years ago........ He had been waiting all these years just for this............ Gene, where are you? she thought helplessly. The thought that an expanse of unfathomable space seperated them filled her with terror. She wished she hadn't left him, that they had gone together, anything. Gene! Silently her mind cried out to him.  
  
"I've killed him already." Jay said abruptly, geussing her train of thought. And by the look on her face, he had been right.  
  
"What do you want from me?" she whispered, trying to keep her voice steady and devoid of fear.  
  
"What do I want? What do I WANT?" he asked, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "Why, I want you as my emperess, my dear." He was very nearly purring with satisfaction. She was at his mercy.  
  
"Your emperess?"  
  
"Surely you aren't all that surprised. Did I not express to you my intentions before? You will be mine as will your lovely body to do with as I please." As he said this, his eyes traveled the length of her before returning to her face. He was angered to see something like disgust in her eyes.  
  
"My-my body?" There was revulsion in her voice, as if she couldn't stand the very thought of it. It infuriated him.  
  
"Yes, my dear," he said, the anger rising in his voice and his fingers coming to tighten painfully around her throat. "You're body."  
  
She didn't even say anything. He could see terror and disgust forming in her face and though the disgust enraged him, the terror made him laugh and relax some. She was at his utter mercy. It didn't matter what she thought- he would teach her soon enough. Ah, revenge is sweet, he thought, the smile returning to his face.  
  
He dragged her upwards and pulled her forcefully against him, kissing her brutally. 'Like rain water and rose petals' he thought. It was a punishing kiss, his tongue ravishing her and invading her mercilessly, his lips bruising hers ruthlessly. 'Just like the dream.....' she thought vaguely. When he let go, she was dazed and her eyes misted over.  
  
'Just like the dream......' he thought momentarily. He bound her and got going before she could recover enough to protest even. He didn't realise that someone had just glimpsed him leaving. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Zirulaete raced down the line of ships. Which one was it? What was the name.............? The Outlaw.............Outlaw........she couldn't remember the rest. Wait! There it was! the Outlaw Star! Inferno's boyfriend, his name was........Gene! Yes, that was it, she needed to get Gene......... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Gilliam, stop hammering." he rubbed his eyes groggily. The pounding was a rude awakening.  
  
"I'm not hammering, Gene. Someone is pounding on the door of the ship."  
  
"Tell them I'll be there in a minute." He pulled himself out of bed and threw on his clothes. Giliam left and the pounding stopped abruptly. He was thankful-his head was killing him.  
  
When he got to the door, an Izancae was about the last thing he had expected to see.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Never mind who I am!" She sounded very agitated. "Inferno'ssss been kidnapped!"  
  
"Inferno?!" He didn't even stop to ask how she knew Inferno, or even knew about him-or that he was HERE for that matter. "Where? Who? What happened?"  
  
"Sssssshe went out and I wasssssssss waiting for her to come back. I heard ssssssomething and I went outssside. I ssssaw sssssomeone in black leaving with Inferno."  
  
"Was she leaving of her own accord?"  
  
"If ssssshe wasssssss, I wouldn't be here! Sssssshe wassssss tied up!" Zirulaete was scratching the floor with her claws in irritation.  
  
"Ok!" Gene's mind was racing. What could they do? They didn't even have any idea of who the hell it was. And Inferno had so many enemies across the universe, well, god only knows how many possibilities there were! "Did you happen to see what they loked like?" he said exasperatedly.  
  
"No! They were in black! That'sssssss all I know!"  
  
Gene was about to say something rather rude when a huge black and white ship left port. Sirens were going off everywhere. The ship was leaving without clearance. Just going. Gene and Zirulaete looked at each other. What reason would someone have to leave so abruptly, without even getting launch clearance first?  
  
A paniced voice came over the intercom. "Blackwind! Blackwind! What the fuck do you think you're doing? Come in! Jay Nighthawk! If you do not stop your ship now, you will be eligible for arrest!" but the ship showed no sign of slowing, and the voice had cracked in panic.  
  
A face came over the video screens. "Fools." he scoffed. "You couln't catch me if you tried!" The screens went out. Screams could be heard from all around now as the entire docking bay began to shake and peices began to crack.  
  
"Gene!" Zirulaete screeched over the noise.  
  
"What!" He yelled back, his voice nearly lost in the chaos.  
  
"That was him!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"That was HIM!" Zirulaete yelled in his ear.  
  
Gene looked at her. He motioned for his ship, bu Zirulaete pointed to the DragonWing. It was faster and more powerful. He nodded, and they made their way to it as fast as they could. When they got inside, Gene heard Gilliam's voice in his ear-his earring comunicator.  
  
"Gene! Where are you? It's chaos out here."  
  
"I know! I'm on the DragonWing. Inferno's been taken by whoever it is on that ship that's leaving. Set the Outlaw star on auto pilot and go back to Centinall III. Tell Suzuka and Jim everything! I have to go! Understand?"  
  
"Will do Gene."  
  
"Thanks Gilliam."  
  
The air echoed with more screams as the DragonWing took off into space, following the Blackwind. Zirulaete hissed in impatience and irritation. Gene was silent. One look at his face said it all. He wuold get her back. He swore it. the bastard who took her wuold die. He would make sure of that.  
  
Yes, he would make sure of that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jay sat in the cockpit of his ship, the DragonWing. He looked over at Inferno, out cold in a chair nearby. He couldn't stop smiling. Everything was perfect. He laughed outloud. And thought to himself.  
  
Revenge is Sweet.  
  
The air rang with his wicked laughter as the two ships faded into space. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Well? Kind of makes things interesting doesn't it? I couldn't just leave Jay out, now could I? I had to gove him some part. And anyways, the story was getting just a little boring anyways. Uh huh, she loves Gene, he loves her, they know, yeah, yeah, yeah. But in comes Demon Emperor Jay with his plot for revenge and kidnaps Inferno. Now Zirulaete and Gene have to go and get her back. Get the demon emperor! Gets the story moving again. If not, the story might have just stopped where it was......... ^^  
  
~Rzeznik Rocker~ 


	10. Slave on Saturnalia

Disclaimer:i dont own outlaw star. Only any part of this story that i have created. k? ^^  
  
Chapter 9: Slave on Saturnalia ~~~~~~~ Ok, here we go, chapter 9 everyone. Inferno is......well, youll have to read. Gene and Zirulaete are coming, but not in this chapter............Inferno doubts her own heart and judgment. Gene is the one who loves her.......right? But Jay is........not.........not what she thought he was.......she doesn't know anymore. Her heart is in confusion. How will she sort it all out? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Come now." He smiled. "Come here." he laughed and tugged at the chain around her neck.  
  
Inferno stumbled forward onto her knees in front of him. Jay pulled at the chain, dragging her higher up on her knees. He was still laughing. Almost nothing could dampen his spirits right now. He had waited 15 years for this, and now he had it. He jerked the chain slightly and Inferno stumbled towards him. She didn't want to look at him. The collar he had placed around her neck was humiliating enough as it were. But she forced herself to look at him. She wouldn't let him know how terrified she was-terrified that she would never see Gene again..............  
  
He laughed at her again. How sweet a revenge this was. For now she would be his slave. Until the blood moon rose this year. Then he would have her for his emperess. Out of the corner of his eyes, Jay noticed one of his other women watching them haughtily. Zula. 'Jealous bitch' he dismissed it from his mind, thinking no more of it. He turned his attention back to the furious girl before him.  
  
"What's the matter?" Still laughing, He was no more than a few inches from her face, looking into her eyes.  
  
"What the fuck do you think is the matter?" she hissed at him. She was on her knees still,her head and torso being pulled up by the chain that Jay held in one hand. Her hands were tied behind her back. He told her he wouldn't release them until she swore not to try and injure him with them.  
  
"Language, Inferno." He whispered mockingly. "The other women might start taking examples from you."  
  
"Well they would have anyways if the blood moon were up." She spat. "What difference does it make to start now?"  
  
He laughed again, smiling wickedly at her. "Well, if we're talking about setting examples, there's a difference between that and making a scene, cara. The latter can be most effective sometimes."  
  
"For wha-"she never finished. His other hand grabbed her chin, his nails digging painfully into the soft skin of her throat. Her jerked her head forward and kissed her. Long and hard, but not the brutal kiss he had impended upon her before. It was, however, quite effective in setting a scene for a few who were brave enough to take notice.  
  
He let go and looked at Inferno. She was flushed and furious and utterly helpless. He laughed again and turned his head at a movement in the corner. Zula spun around and stalked out in a rage, pushing anyone who happened to get in her way out of it and knocking several of them over. Jay shrugged. What did he care that Zula was jealous? She never had a chance at the seat of emperess in the first place. All these years he'd kept it for Inferno.  
  
He stood up, jerking Inferno upright by the chain and started down a hallway, pulling her behind him. They had only just gotten to his palace Saturnalia today. She had been out cold the entire trip. Saturnalia was a huge palace built on the planet of his kingdom, Saturn, the demon planet.  
  
After a fairly long walk, he stopped at a stretch of appearingly bare wall. But he pushed his hand into a certain spot, which seemed to have the consistency of gel. A section of the wall slid open and Jay threw Inferno in, and, stepping in behind her, shut the door.  
  
He walked over to a chair and sat down. "Well?" he watched her, amused.  
  
"Well what? Where is this?" Inferno pulled herself up as best she could with no hands. She managed to struggle to a kneeling position and looked around. It looked to her like a bedroom. Huge, but a bedroom nonetheless.  
  
"This is my room." He laughed softly. "I suggest you get used to it. It's your room. too, now."  
  
She blanched. "Wh-what?"  
  
His eyes narrowed at the look of disgust on her face. Very little could get to him right now, but that happened to be one of the few. He jerked the chain forcefully, pulling her forward into him. He caught her by the shoulders and brought her up so their faces were level.  
  
"Starting tonight, cara, this will be your permanent housing. Understand?" He smiled sweetly at her.  
  
She put her head down so that her bangs covered her eyes from his view. "Yes...." she mumbled submissively.  
  
"Good." He dropped her, satisfied. He watched her for a few moments until he realised she couldn't get back up. He looked down at her, trying to figure out the problem. He kneeled by her, but couldn't see anything wrong.  
  
Jay rolled Inferno over onto her back. She gasped a little. There was a large bruise on her ribs. Apparently it hurt for her to move it now. She must have hit it on the step when he let her go. She barely protested when he lifted her up and set her on the bed. He wanted her humiliated, yes. But he didn't want her injured. He called for one of his nurses to come in and look at the bruise. He wasn't sure where it had come from. It hadn't been there yesterday-had it? But she'd been wearing her cape, so he didn't know.  
  
"What's the problem, your highness?" The bright voice of his cheerful aged nurse, Mellie, trilled as she walked into the room with her bag. Her feline ears were perked and her tail twitched happily.  
  
He motioned for her to come over. "Take a look at his." he said.  
  
"Oh dear!" Mellie gasped when she saw the bruise. It spread from just beneath her left breast down to a little below her ribs and around her side and across almost to the other side of her rib cage. "What happened!"  
  
"I don't know. I only just saw it now. I don't know how long it's been there." He shook his head. "Can you do anything about it?"  
  
"Of course I can!" She looked from Inferno to Jay and back again. The girl must be new. Her eyes widened when she saw the collar with the chain. She wondered what he had in mind for the girl. Mellie took Jay by the arm and pushed him out of the room as he protested.  
  
"H-hey!" He resisted.  
  
"I need to take care of this! Now, I'll call you when you can come back in. Now just go make yourself busy dear." She shut the door on more protests and turned back to the girl on the bed. Mellie'd known Jay since he was just a baby. She'd taken care of him after his mother died and his father ignored him. He was really a very caring person. She sighed and got to work on the bruise.  
  
"Broken rib......." she muttered as she worked. "Tissue damage.....minor internal bleeding..........." She stood up and wiped her hand across her eyes. "Now, that should do it."  
  
Inferno stirred slightly, wincing at the pain in her ribs. She opened her eyes and found herself looking into the face of an older cheery looking cat demoness.  
  
"Feeling alright hon?" her voice was pleasant enough. She was tall, and older, but not old. She reminded Inferno of some of the older women bartenders she'd known, with a cheerful voice that held that harsh kind of growl.  
  
"Yeah-I, what happened?" she pulled herself up on her elbows as best she could manage with her hand still bound.  
  
"You passed out honey. I fixed up that nasty bruise of yours. Jay called for me. Didn't want to leave. I had to push him out." she laughed.  
  
"Jay?" she said, confused. He had called a nurse? Didn't want to leave?  
  
"Yes, hon, Jay. You know, his highness? Concerned, he was. Worried about you. What's your name dear? You mind if I?" She added, pulling out a cigarette, her voice never losing it's innocently curious tone.  
  
"No, go ahead. I'm Inferno...."she sat up, leaning against the headboard.  
  
"I'm Mellie. Why's he got you all tied up like that honey? D'ya do something?" Mellie leaned on the post, cocking her head and blowing a small cloud of smoke. Her tone of voice was such that even the rudest question would sound only innocently curious, and you couldn't take offense.  
  
Inferno smiled. "Do something? Well, only if you count threatening to personally dismember him entirely. Or maybe it was when I told him I wouldn't go near him if he were the last man in heaven hell or in between. Or perhaps, it was for trying to kill him several times."  
  
Mellie looked at her incredulously. Then laughed. "Dear god child! You've badly damaged his ego! No wonder he's tied you up."  
  
"He said he souldn't untie my hands unless I swore not to try and injure him with them." She leaned back, smiling. She liked Mellie.  
  
"I take it you didn't? You're a stubborn girl! I think you'll give Jay a run for his money."  
  
"I already have. He's been after me for 15 years and he's only just managed to get his hands on me."  
  
Mellie laughed again. "You don't say? Well I'd say he's made a good choice in you."  
  
"Good choice?"  
  
"You do know he intends you for the emperess, don't you?" She looked at Inferno.  
  
"I didn't think he meant it........." She looked down, thinking.  
  
"Oh, he meant it. He never says things like that if he doesn't mean it. And 15 years! Of course he meant it! He wouldn't go chasing after you like that if he didn't intend it. You just wait 'till the blood moon. I think you two'll be good together if you can just learn not to tear each other apart. You're beautiful you know. And I like you're personality. Maybe not charming, but you're a tough girl. You've got a strong personality. I think that when you're someone like him, you have a hard time not liking you." she paused to take a puff of her cigarette. "Hard to believe as it is hon, he really does care. He wants to humiliate you, yes, because he doesn't take kindly to rejection. But he doesn't wasnt you hurt. Never did. You know...." she trailed off, thinking. "I wonder...."  
  
"Wonder what?" Inferno was intrigued by this woman.  
  
"He's been running spells and enchantments of all sorts, and he's been going out a lot more. He's stopped since he got you." Mellie said thoughtfully.  
  
"Is there one that makes dreams?" She asked quickly.  
  
"Yeah, come to think of it. It's called the dream invasion spell. It goes into your dreams and manipulates it to be whatever the caster wants. He ran that one a couple time lately."  
  
"Then that's where those dreams came from?" Inferno gaped at her.  
  
"He really went all out on you, girl. He hasn't used those spells in so long. He only uses them in the very greatest of need." she smiled "I geuss you ranked high enough to qualify."  
  
"I need time to think." She lay back and closed her eyes.  
  
"Well, I'll tell Jay you'll probably sleep through the night, and he's not to disturb you, okay?" Mellie put her cigarette out in the ashtray by the bed.  
  
"Yeah, that's fine. And, by the way, how do you know him?"  
  
"I raised him. His mother died at birth and his father ignored him. I was just a nurse then, and i did bartending on the side. I was delivering him and his mother didn't survive. He barely survived it himself."  
  
"I wish he hadn't" Inferno mumbled.  
  
"You don't mean that. I know you don't" There was no accusation in it, in fact, it sounded simply friendly and conversational. She started picking up her stuff and putting it back in her bag.  
  
Inferno stared at her. Did she mean it? She didn't know anymore.  
  
"I'll let him know you're not to be disturbed. I may not be able to stop him coming in to check on you though, if you can live with that."  
  
Inferno nodded. She supposed that was alright. Then she would be left alone.  
  
Mellie smiled knowingly and left.  
  
Inferno was left to think in the grey darkness of the room. She sighed. She didn't know what to make of Jay anymore. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Is she alright?" Jay asked when Mellie came into the throne room.  
  
"She'll be fine. She's actually extremely tired. You can check on her, but don't disturb her if she's asleep."  
  
Jay got up and turned to go down the hallway that led to his room. He stopped and turned back to smile at Mellie. "Thanks Mel." he left.  
  
Mellie just smiled knowingly and watched him go. "Your welcome" she whispered and snuck down after him, knowing Inferno was still awake. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Inferno looked up tiredly when the door slid open. "oh" she said when she saw who it was. She put her head down again.  
  
"Are you ok?" he asked carefully.  
  
"Im alright. Just very, very tired..........." she trailed off.  
  
"The nurse told me." he walked over to the bed and looked down at her. She certainly looked tired. "I geuss you'll have the opportunity to share a bed with me tonight." he smiled wickedly down at her.  
  
But his smiled faded when her head snapped around to look at him. There was disgust again on her face, clear and unhidden. He tried to suppress the rage. He forced another wicked smile. "Well let me at least say good night." He grabbed the chain and jerked her up out out of the bed and onto her feet. He tugged again, pulling her into his arms. He looked down at her.  
  
He was pleased to see she looked scared. He laughed quietly and kissed her. It was rough and punishing, like when he had first found her. His tongue was touching hers, invading her mouth. His lips were hard and bruising against her. He gentled a little, but still kissing her just as openly. He started when she was responding to the kiss, returning it. But he didn't stop. Just enjoyed it. He let himself be carried by the passion. He hadn't expected this, but who cared? He pulled his mouth away from hers and kissed her temples, her neck, her throat. She pushed her face against his chest in a surprising show of affection. He held her to him in a hard posessive grip. He kissed her again, and this time she responded immediately and just as enthusiastically as him. ~~~~~~  
  
Mellie watched the two through the door. She watched as Jay lost his temper and jerked Inferno up by the chain. She watched him start to kiss her, hard and punishing, wondering what it was that had made him mad. But then he gentled it and Inferno was kissing him back. She smiled as she saw him kissing her temples and down her neck and they shared a kiss. Mellie smiled when he was holding Inferno possesively, and the look on his face. He'd never let her go. She knew it. She turned and walked down the hall before Jay came back out or saw her. ~~~~~~  
  
Inferno had the vague sensation of floating before she felt something soft beneath her. She snuggled into it, losing herself in dreams and only barely feeling the warmth that joined her. ~~  
  
Jay looked down at Inferno. She was asleep. Wether it was exhaustion or the kiss, he didn't know. Probably both. He carried her over to the bed and lay her down. Her got out of his robes and climbed in next to her, pulling the covers over him. He pulled her against his chest protectively and fell asleep. ~~~~~~ Inferno woke up in the middle of the night, the darkness surrounding her. She felt something warm against her and around her. She looked up at the sleeping Jay. But he wasn't sleeping. He opened his eyes and smiled down at her. She pushed away and scrambled backwards against the wall, pulling the covers off them both. Her eyes fell to his body. He was in naught but a pair of shorts. As she looked him over, she noted that he was muscular and well formed. Slim and wiry but strong and perfectly carved. He lay with his head pillowed on his arms watching her examining him. Her eyes jumped to his face when he laughed.  
  
"You like what you see?" he smiled mockingly. "I'm all yours if you want me."  
  
She stared hostily at him but couldn't keep her eyes from looking him over again.  
  
He smiled and spoke in a low provacative voice. "I know you want me, Inferno. Come on. I'm all yours for the taking. All you have to do is say the word and ill cast the chains on the floor next to your clothes."  
  
Inferno felt herself caught up in the sway of his words. She gulped. He reached out and ran his hand along her jawline. She pressed her face against his hand and looked at him.  
  
"Do you want me, Inferno?" he said softly.  
  
"I........" she turned her head away. "I don't know what I want anymore........" she broke off, a lone tear falling.  
  
"Come here Inferno." he pulled her over to him. He pulled out the top button of her shirt, pleased to find she didn't resist. He undid them all one by one, slowly and methodically. It was maddening, but he forced himself not to rush. He undid the chains on her arms and threw them onto the floor with her shirt. He snapped the clip of her bra and slid it off. The rest of her clothes followed. He looked at her. She was looking down. He reached to the table and grabbed a key, removing the heavy collar and the chain with it.  
  
She sat before him in nothing. Beautiful and slender. He looked her over. Her arms came up to cross herself in reflex, but she stopped them mid- gesture. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. There was no way she could deny it.  
  
He pulled his own clothes off and pulled her down, rolling over on top of her, avoiding her ribs, and pulling the covers over them. He loved the feel of her skin, and the way all her tough, stubborn, rogueish, hardened, tomboy ways disintegrated and simply dissappeared when he kissed her. She became the perfect passionate woman. Sweet and giving and demanding. And in the daylight, bold and strong and beautiful and any man equal. Merciless to any who challenged her and quick to take what she wished, yet clever and thoughtful. He'd never found all that in another woman. It was just one more reason why he knew no other could ever do for him.  
  
He loved the taste of her mouth. Like rose petals and funeral wine and rainwater and lonely salt tears. Like bittersweet apples and the sharp taste of blood. Like tasting sadness, he thought. Like tasting lonliness and rejection and fear and all the hurt and pain and suffering one could stomach. He was seeing her pain. It flashed before his eyes.  
  
She was 15 again. The bet. The rejection. The pain. The years and years of love and denial and hatred of Gene and hatred of herself for being so stupid. She was crying. The pictures. Torn pictures. Written out with all her heart. Cried on with all the tears she could give. And ripped apart and thrown to the wind like he had done to her heart. Her anguish. Her torment. Her lonely years of frustrated longing. Of unfathomable love. The love she'd bestowed upon him that she couldn't get rid of. And he'd destroyed her. Played her for a fool and used her for his own purposes.  
  
Jay saw her. She hated herself. Still. For being so foolish. She believed no one really loved her. No one could love her. And that her love was all she had. No one had every really loved her enough to hold her like he was. To touch her with more than simply lust. She wanted to believe that he loved her. But she didnt think anyone could love her. A silly little stubborn tomboy with an attitude. A rough girl who wasn't very good at acting feminine. Just a skinny little half breed with a heart that could love and never be loved. He was crying for her now. Kissing her, loving her, and admitting silently to himself that he loved her and trying to prove it to him and her.  
  
He was kissing her. She was responding. Her body was trembling and he could tell she was sobbing. He tasted her tears. She had watched herself with him. Seen through all the pain and suffering again. Her heart being exposed to him and she didn't know why. She wanted to believe that he was doing this for her. Truly loved her. Trying to make herself believe. Forcing herself with every fiber of her being to believe. But she couldn't. 15 years is a long time and a lot to try and cast off in a single night. Her heart deflated and she let herself be caught in this passion. The first man she had ever allowed to touch her, truly, and mirge with her so intimately. The only one she had known that could truly give her such feelings and glorious blissful release. ~~ They lay quietly. Inferno in Jay's arms in a state of semi-conciousness. She drifted off to sleep after one last gentle kiss and lost herself to dreams of him. He looked down at her and realised she was the only one he would ever love. He knew now that demon's could love, and although he would never forgive it, he knew why his father had turned away. He was so much like his mother that just looking at him would be enough to stir up old memories, and his father would turn his head away. Maybe he hadn't meant to be so cold, but maybe it was all he could do not to get rid of him and hate him for killing his mother. He would never let Inferno go. He would give his own life to save hers. This knowledge comfortable on his mind, he held her tight and fell away into dreams. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Inferno woke that morning to find herself in Jay's arms again. She looked up at him. He was still asleep. She didn't want to wake him and disturb their peaceful moment. She looked at him again. His face was peaceful and serene. He looked so different from when she first saw him. She reached out her hand and touched his face, startled, when her fingers touched a thin scar that ran from his ear and along his jawline to his chin. Her hand fell away. She leaned her head back on his chest, her hand following the scar on it. She wondered when and where he'd gotten them.  
  
She was quiet and dreamy while her hand slowly, gently, traced the length of the scar. She pulled her hand back and brought it again to his face, brushing the hair out of his eyes. So different, she thought. Not the forceful semi sadistic emperor he was when he was awake. He looked like a young child in a mans body. So sweet and innocent. She laughed quietly to herself.Innocent. Right. Well, she thought, if this is innocence it never looked so good. She traced her fingers down the scar again.  
  
"It's a long scar."She looked up, startled.  
  
"Did I wake you?"  
  
"No. I usually wake up sometime around this time anyways."  
  
She still had her hand on the scar. "What happened?"  
  
"Your own work, cara." He laughed at the look on her face. "Don't you remember? You're a fair swordsman. If I hadn't been fast enough, just a hundredth of a second more and I would have been impaled."  
  
She remembered. She had cut through his robes. It must have been that. She laughed and put her hand to the one on his face wonderingly.  
  
"You also,cara. You just barely missed slicing open my face. They're the only scars I have because you're the only one who was ever fast enough to cut me deep enough to leave a scar." he smiled. "Fortunately for me you're not still trying to kill me."  
  
He leaned over and kissed her gently for a moment. "Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Yes. There wasn't much time left to, but during the small amount allowed me I did."  
  
He laughed. "Yes, small amount indeed. You nearly killed me with your passion. Enthusiastic doesn't come close to what you were."  
  
She flushed, remembering.  
  
He lifted her face to look at him. "I hope you won't look so put upon whenever I suggest such from now on." he smiled.  
  
She laughed quietly, flushing momentarily. "No, I suppose I couldn't. Not after that."  
  
"No, I don't think you really could, could you? I'm happy you let me."  
  
She turned her eyes down.  
  
"What's the matter, cara?" he asked.  
  
"It's just................you're the first...........I......."  
  
"Shhhh, it's alright, I understand. It was your first time and you were frightened. You maybe feel like you've been missing something all these years? That nothing could ever have prepared you for this?"  
  
She looked up at him questioningly. "Yeah........"  
  
"I know. It was how I felt." He wrapped his arms around her. "But I've never loved it as much as I did last night." He rolled over on her and nuzzled his face into her neck.  
  
She closed her eyes and squirmed in pleasure. She was reveling in his loving attention. When they finally had to get up, he offered her a set of silk red robes with a shimmering cape, somewhat similar to his own set of white ones. She accepted them.  
  
He watched, her enamored as she slipped into the red robes. They were the symbol of intended marraige. Now none in the court would dare impend any cruelty or malice towards her. He smiled. Any day now. He pulled on his own white robes and caught her in his arms for one more kiss before they left.  
  
"I trust we won't need any chains anymore?" he laughed lightly into her hair.  
  
She shook her head, smiling. "No, no chains."  
  
He laughed again and led her out of the room.  
  
"Where are we going?" she asked curiously.  
  
"We are going to take care of all the things I usually must do throughout the day. Except today, " He pulled her around against him and whispered mischieviously "You're going to help me." he laughed and let her go. ~~~~~  
  
When they entered the throne room, there was an audible gasp. Certainly it was becuase of Inferno. He felt her take a half step back nervously. "It's alright." he whispered to her. "It's just the robes-they represent your intentions to the throne."  
  
She looked at him, but made no sound. Maybe what Mellie said was true. She was certainly beginning to doubt her own harsh judgments. She didn't know anymore. She watched curiously when a young woman with an apparent bad attitude stalked across the room, scowling, and pushed Inferno out of the way, hissing at Jay.  
  
"What is this?!" she pointed a finger accusingly at Inferno.  
  
He stared coldly down at her. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Who is this bitch?" she hissed viciously.  
  
"This 'bitch' is the future emperess, so I suggest you get used to it."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"You heard me."  
  
"How could you!"  
  
"You were never meant for the throne Zula. I told you it was over months ago." He nodded his head towards Inferno. "For 15 years she was intended for it." He gave her a crooked smile. "And here she is."  
  
Zula slapped him hard across the mouth and spun around to stalk out in a fit of rage. Inferno simply watched. Jay was left rubbing the red hand mark on his face. "bitch.." he muttered under his breath.  
  
"Guards!" he called. A young wolf demon with shiny black hair came over carrying his sword and dipped to one knee briefly in salute. "I want Zula out of here by nightfall, understood? She may keep the dresses and jewels and personal items of hers, but that is it. She is to be returned to her home in Zelquin, and buy her a house or something. Just get her out of here, ok?" The guard nodded curtly and dashed off to carry out the order.  
  
Jay turned to Inferno, still rubbing the red mark and gave her a crooked smile with a look that so much said 'I'm Perfectly Innocent' that Inferno had to laugh.  
  
He laughed and spun her around until they were both too dizzy to stand and collapsed into the thrones laughing.  
  
"I'm glad you find me amusing." he managed to say between fits of laughter.  
  
She giggled. "Oh yes, your majesty, ever the comedic king."  
  
He put one hand to his heart and the other to his head in mock sorrow and shock. "You wound me madam. I meant naught but to keep m'lady happy"  
  
This made her laugh even harder, and it caught to him. They laughed until they were crying. When they managed to catch their breath for a minute, Inferno dashed out the doors, spinning backwards long enough to give him a playful teasing "Catch me if you can!" before turning and running as fast as she could.  
  
Jay jumped up and ran after her, chasing her for a half an hour until he caught her under a tree in the courtyard, out of breath. He sat by her and put his arm around her shoulders gently. She leaned softly into him, and they watched the sunset together, falling asleep in each other's arms in the soft twighlight. ~~~~~  
  
"Inferno! Jay!" Mellie ran frantically through the palace. No one could find Jay or Inferno. She called for them again, running headlong into a gurad and stumbling back. "Any sign of them?" she asked, recovering herself.  
  
"No ma'am." He saluted her. "Searched everywhere. No one's seen any sign of them. Looked everywhere in the palace."  
  
"Damn. I-" She looked up on sudden inspiratin and asked curiously, "Have you checked the courtyard?"  
  
"No ma'am."  
  
Before the guard could say another word, Mellie spun around and head for the courtyard, hoping her geuss was right.  
  
"Infern-" she stopped short and shut her mouth when she discovered the two bundled together beneath a tree in a clearing in the maze of flowers the gardener'd created. She smiled. They were both asleep. She shook her head. Of course. She turned quietly, smiling to herself, and went off so as not to wake them. They would have to wake up soon enough. Best let them have their rest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Inferno." he whispered gently in her ear.  
  
"Mhh?" She opened one eye groggily and looked up, trying to bring his face into focus.  
  
"Time to wake up." He smiled and lifted her up into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
She opened her eyes and smiled up at him. His breath caught in his throat. 'Beautiful..' he thought.  
  
"Oh really?" She cocked her head to one side.  
  
"Yes really you lazy little demon." He spun her around and set her on her feet, grabbing her as she collapsed into him and lifting her back. "Can you walk? Or shall I carry you?" He smiled, playfully mocking.  
  
""I'm afraid my legs don't seem quite willing to wake just yet. If you would be so kind as to carry me..." She smiled skeptically, wrapping her arms around his neck in a painfully tight grasp.  
  
"Alright madam, but should I fall and kill both of us, I'm blaming you. Now you really should take a shower-that hair of yours isn't so soft anymore after a night in the garden." He carried her into the palace. ~~~~~ "Hold still you." He tried to keep hold of her, but her wet body slipped lithely from between his hands as she darted swiftly to the other end of the long vine decorated spa room, dodging among the showers and hot tub baths. He tried for her again but she slipped away again just as slippery. "Get back here."  
  
"No!" She laughed slightly, dodging his reaching hands as he slipped and nearly collided with her, and, missing her, hit the wall instead.  
  
"Goddamnit you little snake! Why won't you let me wash your hair?" He righted himself, rubbing his arm where it had hit the wall.  
  
She simply shook her head. and dodged as he made another lunge, hanging on to the vines for support lest he slip again.  
  
"Oh fine. Then at least let me wash the rest of you. You're absolutely filthy." He scowled at her.  
  
"Oh alright." She moved over to him, her body lithe and shiny from the water, her hair wet and dragging on the ground.  
  
He sat down and motioned for her to sit facing him. She sat gingerly on the bench, being careful not to slip from all the water and soap. He pulled her a bit closer and began to wash her face and neck, moving to her arms and down the rest of her body with a gentle touch. He motioned for her to turn around so he could do her back, and she did so, sitting on the end of the bench and being careful not to sit on her hair. He smiled, knowing she couldn't see, and locked his legs around her, to hold her in place.  
  
"No you little demon, I'm going to wash your hair wether you like it or not." She tried to struggle, but now that he had her she couldn't get away. It was futile to try. She could avoid him all she wanted, but once he had a good hold on her, it was impossible for her to escape. He pulled her so her back was against him and began to wash her hair.  
  
"What the..." He pulled his hand out of her hair. It was dripping with black dye. He looked at the spot where it had been and noticed it had a rather grey appearance now.  
  
He raised one eyebrow and looked at the grey spot. He rinsed his hand and poured more soap in her hair, washing it carefully. After a while, the spot he was scrubbing was free of the black dye and underneath was platinum silver. He marveled at the silvery shine to it, and washed the rest of her hair.  
  
When he was finished, he stood up, pulling her with him, and turned her to face him. She looked down, not meeting his eyes. He took a step back from her, looking up and down at her wild mane of platinum silver hair.  
  
"What is-?" He broke off, taking her into his arms and burying his face in her hair. She pressed against him softly. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, looking at her.  
  
"I-I've dyed it as long as I can remember. My mother used to do it, to hide it. It's not a natural color for either humans or ctarl-ctarls. She didn't want anyone to know I was hanyou. But she never used permenant hair dye-she didn't want the silver ruined, she said."  
  
"It's beautiful." He whispered. Such a color was rare even in demons. And such a color was envied by all demons. To think it was a hanyou-He looked at her. "Hanyou?"  
  
"Yes...." She stepped back from him and he watched in wonder as she pulled off her ctarl-ctarl ears and the headband she never seemed to remove. Underneath were large black and silver cat ears. She peeled off her red stripes one by one to reveal ones either black or silver, and washed her tail, which was the same black and silver of her ears. She removed the purple contacts from her eyes to show deep red iris' and silver pupils.  
  
"You're beautiful...." He said, gaping at her. She was a stunning example of all the things that female demons vied for. The silver hair, the red eyes with silver pupils. The black and silver coloring. It was all considered a mark of high breeding and unmatched beauty of the purebreed demons who prided themselves on it. More specifically, a certain family of demons prided themselves on having women who almost always carried these genes.  
  
A thought crossed his mind. "Your father....who was he?" He asked.  
  
"I don't know....I never knew my father. My mother told me he died. But she made me disguise myself as a half-ctarl-ctarl. She said hanyous were outcasts in both the demons world and the humans world. So I was not to be known as one. She told me never to let anyone know. It was crucial to her. So I've hidden it all these years." She looked down.  
  
"But you're so beautiful. You look like a purebred demon. And yet...the human scent remains. That cannot be helped. But I don't care. Why did you think I would? You're mine. Always remember that." He pulled her into his arms. "And now you shall face them as the hanyou to shame all purebred demons and you will take the throne as their emperess. None shall speak a word against you. And I have a sneaky suspicion of your lineage..." he said thoughtfully. He turned back to her. "Do you understand?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Good. Now come on. Let's get you dressed before you catch a cold." He led her out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ok people's! That is the end of this chapter! What u think? Hmmmm.........hanyou, huh? Not even ctarl-ctarl at all! Now isn't that neat? Hmmmmm..............Who is Inferno's father? Hmmm.............You'll just have to wait! Ok, it may be a while till I get back to Gene and Zilucaete, but it will be good, I promise. For a while I'm focusing on Inferno & Jay. ^^ ~Rzeznik Rocker~ 


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